Mythical Night
by Myrddin Le Fay
Summary: After Wave, Naruto meets his inner demon, & gets some help & a new goal in life, but its down to him to become the Hero he wants to be. He'll help others with his bowblade, & become the hero hidden in the night, the champion, The Green Arrow. He'll save lives & protect the innocent while punishing the guilty, even if the guilty are of the village of Konoha. Naru/Hina/Ino/Ten.
1. Sleeping Demon

**Disclaimer: **_I do not own Naruto, only my original characters, story, plot(s), and places._

_**Mythical Night**_

_**Chapter I**_

_**Sleeping Demon**_

In a place hidden from the world on the Continent of Elements, a fourteen-year-old yellow blonde haired boy sulked, not that anyone looked or even cared.

He and his ninja team had just gotten back from a tiring, but exciting mission protecting a small fishing town in Wave Country and making sure their bridge to the mainland is built so that the monopolising bastard little business tycoon can be stopped squeezing the life out of Wave.

This way the people of Wave can finally start dealing with Fire Country via land and not the waters. Though, it's ironic that the bastard tycoon is dead now anyway, falling foul to his own evil cheating ways. In other words he pissed off his own hired thug (an A class missing ninja at that).

Naruto Uzumaki sighed as he just wandered through the forest like training grounds, his cerulean blue eyes were unusually dull, and well he never lets people see him when he's feeling like shit. He doesn't want any of his haters to get any satisfaction out of it.

You see, he's not an ordinary kid as he is what is known as a jinchuuriki, a living prison for one of the Great Bijuu, Demon Beast of unimaginable power. This just makes the adults hate him, and their ignorance makes them believe no matter how wrong they are that he is the greatest of these beasts, Kyuubi, the Nine-tailed Fox Demon, his prisoner.

However, that isn't why he's sad; at least those his age don't know about that. Though, their families hate and mockery has rubbed off on them. He does everything he can just for help, but nobody ever offers it to him even when he begs.

He's sad and deep down pissed off because during his mission he had expected his sensei to teach him and his team lots of useful things. However, all he taught them was something that thinking about it should probably have been taught at the Academy. How to walk up trees without using his hands.

He finds his sensei to a complete jerk. He doesn't teach him anything, but secretly goes off and trains Sasuke Uchiha, a spoilt, ungrateful bastard with these 'special' eyes that steals techniques. Naruto doesn't ask for much, but he does ask for some help from a man who is supposed to be his teacher.

They had gotten back from the mission and Kakashi; their sensei gave them the week off, but took Sasuke with him. Sakura, their final team member even knows and gloats that Sasuke gets special treatment like that's something to be happy about when she's worse than Naruto, and she actually gets some help, minimal though it is.

He's passed caring about them, so went to his old academy and asked whether his old sensei could help him. He had always been so good to him, but apparently it's some messed up honour thing that he can't without Kakashi's permission, but that won't happen as Naruto had asked Kakashi whether he could find someone to help with his taijutsu, but he said 'no Naruto, you're doing fine', which Naruto isn't stupid enough to believe.

He had even gone to the Hokage, the leader of the village to complain. He had always thought the Hokage would listen to him, but really, it didn't really surprise him when he sided with Kakashi. After all, Naruto is just a stupid genin who doesn't know anything, mainly because no one will teach him, and he knows that he has been sabotaged throughout his life.

It's just… well, the Hokage can be so naïve and trust in the good in everyone, and as long as he trusts them and they're older and more experienced in telling bullshit he sides with them.

Naruto has tried to keep a happy façade, and lets people think he's completely oblivious, but he knows that even his so-called friends wouldn't help, and his stalker doesn't have the courage to stay conscious around him. He likes her; she so sweet and her antics can be quite funny.

He doubts she has anything more than chakra control exercises she could teach him anyway, though that would be really helpful. Anyway, he doesn't know where she is as he can't sense, smell, or hear anyone near him, let alone her. It's how he can avoid everyone so effortlessly. It had taken years before he realised these abilities weren't normal for everyone.

Naruto slumped tiredly down into the shade of one of the abnormally large trees that grow around the village. He lent up against the tree and looked at his horrible orange jumpsuit. He had wanted to buy something new in Wave because the villagers here in Konoha either rip him off or won't serve him, and if he henged (transformed using a 'solid' illusion) and the shop owner recognises the stuff he'll get accused of stealing. It happened once before and he got a beating and his stuff stolen.

He took a deep breath as he looked around at the forest, the flowers, the deep blue sky and the soft wisps of clouds. It's relaxing to be out in nature. He can hear the birds singing, the snakes in the grass, and the soft breeze as it drifted across his skin.

His eyes got heavy as he just thought, trying to figure out how he can train with no instruction or scrolls or books or anything to help him get stronger in a home that wants to keep him down

He started as he seemed to slip back as if the tree had just disappeared. He splashed back in some cold shallow water before quickly jumping to his feet looking panicked.

Naruto found himself alone in a dark dungeon like tunnel with burning lit torches sparse on the dirty brick walls. It has a couple of inches of water on the grimy floor. The hall has a chill blowing through it causing him to shiver.

He could see down one way led to a dead end, but the other goes straight on into darkness that made him shiver worse than with the chill. He didn't know how he knew, maybe because this is him, but he knew what lay in wait beyond that darkness and it took him a few moments to steady his nerves.

His fists clenched and unclenched as he took a few deep breaths, he could almost smell it, but slowly began walking. It took him longer than he thought it would before he walked out into a vast chamber with a rusty cube cage in its very centre with an eerie red glow coming from it.

He moved slowly closer. He was surprised the cage is so small compared to how large its prisoner is supposed to be. However, around the red glow he was awed by the never ending darkness so it might be possible that its bigger on the inside.

"Hello Jailer…!"

He was startled as he heard the whimsical soft and certainly female voice. "H-hello… who's there…?" he called out but he knew. He was just a little… well a lot shocked.

Two small hands slid out of the darkness and red glow, her fingers sliding around the bars. The nails are sharp and pointed her arms soft and slender.

Then she stepped out, nine huge red and black foxtails swishing about behind her, the most stunning creature he has ever seen… well maybe not, he's a little flustered now… oh… crap, he could feel his body reacting. She's naked and he's a teenage boy, and she's… well, a naked teenage girl, well, foxgirl.

Her body is lightly toned and slender; surprisingly it looks like she's shorter than him, and maybe around his age. Her breast aren't very large but rather nice and perky, but they still have a nice mass, and some pencil eraser pink nipples on her milky white skin.

She has a small stomach and frame with long legs, down to small feet, and up round a firm butt and between her legs is hairless and looks oh so soft that he would love to touch.

Her face is round and cute with a small nose; her skin is just totally flawless. She would be remarkably cute if her face didn't have an evil scowl with glowing crimson eyes with slanted pupils. Her hair is blood red and wild down to her mid calves with her tails swishing about around her hair. Her is hair flowing beautifully framing her face and hanging down over her shoulders but coming short of covering her small breasts.

However, as expected on the side of her head, up through her hair are pointed crimson to black fox ears. Her scowl seemed to deepen a little as he finished getting a good look at her.

"Like what you see, you filthy weak human!" she might have been looking at him like 'that', but her voice stayed calm and soft. Naruto actually found her voice to be quite pleasant.

"I… I…" he stuttered out quickly hiding the huge bulge in his trousers with his hands as her eyes had casually looked down there. His face went bright red, but she didn't even show any sign of embarrassment or that she might move back into the shadows.

The left side of her bloody coloured and plump lips quirked up into some semblance of a smirk. "Oh, I'm flattered my pathetically weak jailor gets such a hard dick so quickly by just looking at me."

"I'm not weak," his defiance overcame his nerves. "Someday I'm going to become Hokage, and everyone will have to respect me!"

"No matter how strong you get, those people will always treat you like shit!" she hissed out startling him as she pushed her delicious body up against the bars, her face pushed up to them to look into his eyes better.

"I will become Hokage, and gain their respect!" he retorted softer than before, but even he heard his own doubt.

"You think much too small, Jailor," she replied abruptly pushing back from the bars and slinking into the shadows before exiting at a corner, her fingernail tapping the bars.

Naruto's head snapped towards her as the clinking of her nails caught his attention. "W-what do you mean…? The Hokage's the most powerful and respected ninja in the village!"

"Why should you trust that their respect won't really be fear?" she asked, and for once in a very long time, Naruto doubted his dream.

He doesn't want to be the top boss if everyone really fears him, or even if it's just the civilian's that fear him. That isn't how he would want to be remembered as the most feared kage.

She even let out a chuckle bringing him from his thoughts as she continued. "Respect is a two way street, Jailor… let's say you managed to get their respect… what about them and all of the crimes they have already committed against you?

"Will they have your respect?" she asked and he almost jumped as those words sunk in making him feel like his blood momentarily froze ice cold. "One day you'll wake up and realise that most of the people praising your name had once hated you, beat you, and some had even tortured you, yet there they are…"

"But that's your fault," he whispered, confused. "If you hadn't attacked…!"

She just burst out laughing. It was insane and full of rage before she suddenly stopped and he fell to his knees under her killing intent. He found it hard to breathe but he has felt so much intent over the years he won't let hers get to him. It took him a moment to stand and she let up her attack almost looking pleased.

"You are like your mother, arrogant beyond all belief," she hissed out shocking him into just staring, his trouser problem completely gone now. "Oh, I forget that senile old man won't tell you anything about your mother, not even her name! Or even your fathers for that matter!"

"B-but he doesn't know who they are…" he whispered out now feeling lost and hopeless. He wants to believe she's just trying to get to him, trying to control him but something inside him said it's the truth.

"Your father did seal me here, so I think the Old Man would know the truth!" she said and this time he dropped to his knees looking sick and green cheeked. "Your mother was my previous prison, Kushina Uzumaki of the Infamous Uzumaki Clan of the Land of Whirlpool, but it was. Her seal was so different to this… I was practically pinned down. This seal is stronger though… but I get so much more freedom. I like it more."

Naruto looked up with angry tears welling up in his eyes. "Tell me why, please. I don't understand, why… why, please?"

Her angry eyes softened a little. "It's because your mothers seal grew weak during childbirth. You never used your own power to seal me, you were too young, but your father used his, but he's not here to keep me. This seals more automatic… it's so much better for you this way, you can learn… become stronger, and even use my power. You can get vengeance for the village daring to defile your families sacrifice!"

His eyes widened in shock as he stood up shaking his head. "I… they might deserve it, but… but that's not me. I'm not like that. I'll be Hokage whether they like it or not."

"You're thinking too small again," she muttered as she started pacing the length of her cage, her every movement, perfect, graceful, flawless and beautiful.

"W-what else is there?" he asked as he wiped his eyes clean as he looked to her. "I've never heard of anything better or bigger…"

"Why would you want to rule a village when the universe is so huge," she said smugly. "You could rule like a god, king, or emperor, but since you're such a goody two shoes… people praise and respect mighty heroes throughout this world and any other you choose to go too."

"H-heroes…?" he asked. He knows what the word means but he didn't understand much beyond that. "B-but heroes are ninja. They save the day, and rescue people and…"

He stopped as she had snorted and interrupted him. "Ninja are murderers, thieves, assassins, soldiers, hired thugs no better than that Gato man's men. It was just that you were hired to protect while they were hired to kill.

"Do you think that Konoha doesn't take jobs to kill innocent people? Do you think that Konoha is the Holy Land of Goodness? Ninja, no matter the village are just super-powered Rent-A-soldiers. They're not heroes, and thinking they are is almost as childish and pathetic as that pink haired bitch's belief that the scum Uchiha will ever want to cuddle and admit he loves her, or even that he likes her for that matter."

Naruto looked away, and it was painful to swallow. He had been taught many things but not once when he was in the Ninja Academy had anyone given him such a lesson. It was all jokes there, making light of this cold reality, and making it seem like they could become Legendary Heroes of Konoha, but Konohas heroes are another places villains.

He realised that even he was told all of this, but he now realised they make light of the truth because right now, the plain truth shoved in his face makes him doubt his choices.

"It's like an ice cold ocean smashing you repeatedly with all its stormy might. The truth can be hard to swallow and your human instructors were fucking morons. They didn't train any of you like potential soldiers, but just like children playing games. Then they send you out… you of course with a teacher that just cares about the Uchiha.

"It's pathetic of him as your father was his teacher, a fair man. Sure I'm pissed at being trapped, but it could be worse. He and your mother had killed and murdered, he may be a hero here, but in other lands he's remembered as a murdering villain."

"T-then how can I become a hero?" he asked out as he took in that his idol is not just his father, but not the hero he had always thought but just another weapon.

"Heroes are both feared and loved," she said looking mildly amused. "Loved by those they protect, save and rescue… the innocent. However, those who hurt others, steal or rule unjust fear them. There could be times where whole countries would call for your head because their ruler fears being dethroned, and there can be times when some pretty little lasses with tight little asses let you fuck all three holes to show their gratitude."

She laughed a little as he burnt bright red in the checks. "I… I'm not like that, I'm not a pervert!" he half-shouted in embarrassed anger.

She just rolled her blood red eyes. "I guess I'll have to give you the proper talk, not that bullshit that stupid bitch gave you that fucked with your mind fighting your bodies normal growth. It's OK to enjoy playing with yourself, and it's a normal teenage boy and girl thing to do…

"But we'll get back to that later, if you're to get stronger, and become this powerful hero, first, you must understand what I want in return."

"L-like what, I'm not letting you out…"

"Like you could," she hissed out rolling her eyes. "The first thing is, you will no longer take anything at face value, and you are no one's tool. If your bosses give you an order that goes against your heroes' code, then say no. You would be in your right to refuse a mission, and you can always play them if you really have too.

"Also, this is a corrupt and lawless continent, so you WILL have to kill, and you WILL have to have the enemies of the innocent fearing you. If this is what you want, then you have to turn yourself into a myth… they will know you're strong, but you need to make them believe you are stronger than you are even when you are 'that' strong.

"You are a ninja, and deception is always a must. Also, I've seen it a lot where foolish ninja make their fighting styles all about finesse and elegance. However, what good is that to the opponent who is just too fast, strong and violent?

"Don't stand around mocking your opponents as that is petty and disrespectful to both you and them. Strike hard, kill fast, but best yet, don't let them see you, kill them so fast they won't have realised you were even there until they're meeting their ancestors in hell."

"B-but isn't that like…"

"No, fighting in a war human on human is all the same, because of greed," she replied shrugging. "You want to be a hero here then you have to be the judge, the jury, and the executioner! If you can swing it, NEVER give them a chance to fight… no fighting means you don't get hurt, but when you do have to fight you will be the Unstoppable Force."

"Then… what do I have to do…" he asked knowing that out of everyone he knows, she is the only one willing and capable of training him. "And do you know jutsu?"

"I've been on this planet for over a thousand years so I might have picked up a thing or two," she replied with a smug smirk. "As for the what…? This is your mind, and I've grown board of the prison backdrop you Uzumaki's keep giving me."

"I can change where we are?" he asked in surprise as she nodded. "But… will you tell me more about my parents?"

She groaned, but she expected it. "I'll tell you bits and pieces," she agreed, which made him look happy. "However, you'll work yourself like a monster to earn my knowledge, and if you're lucky, I might let you see a few memories, but that is a tricky… trick… so don't hold out too much hope."

He just nodded a little ticked she's blackmailing him, but help is help and maybe during anything she tells him he'll learn the truth of why his parents had to die. So he closed his eyes and concentrated on something peaceful, and when his eyes opened Kyuubi-chan's cage had changed but she was still naked, he could see her so much more clearer and the blackness and red glow had disappeared.

Her cage was now perfect glass reflecting the bright sunlight as they're in an expansive field of freshly cut grass with endless fields of white, pink, red, blue and many other coloured flowers stretching out to endless depths.

"Hey, I don't mind the flowers," she startled him in anger. "And the glass cage is an improvement, but I can't teach you to fight while stuck in here. It's your mind, I can't go anywhere but in the mindscape, and even then I'll be limited!"

He frowned as he thought about letting her out before looking up. He had freed her, but now she's wearing a white leather collar around her neck. She fiddled with it in surprise before looking at him and he shrugged.

"Whatever," she said in annoyance. "Well, I always believe that dawdling will get nothing done so prepare to feel pain. I can keep you here for a cool twelve hours on the outside or so, as long as I don't sense anyone, but in here time moves so much slower, so that could be up to a month.

"You also have the advantage of my awesomeness," she smirked here and he got a good look at her sharp looking canines. "This means I can connect my powers with your body. Although, you won't feel the pain after a few weeks of it your body will grow accustom. I heal you fast enough that it won't harm your body…"

"What won't…?" he interrupted as she hadn't told him yet and he was getting worried.

"Connecting 'dream' you to your bodies muscle memory," she said baffling him. "In here you can grow with chakra, but it's still a dream so under normal circumstances its limited to chakra and knowledge, even learning to fight, but your body's muscles wouldn't have the instinct, and they wouldn't grow no matter how much you trained here.

"However, I have changed that, so you can train physically here and gain in the real world," she said smirking. "So, are you ready…? I've always believe the basics are the most important, so we won't properly move on until you can fight. You're going to be feeling this for the next few weeks when you wake until your real body adapts. It's just cool that you can't sleep here, so there is no escape!"

Naruto gulped and had second thoughts as he looked at her. "Umm… don't you want some clothes…?"

She just shook her head before looking at him and he cried out as she attacked, his clothes torn off in seconds before she hopped back checking him out.

"It's even bigger in person… yum," she said creeping him out as he covered himself. "If you want to live, you can't worry about being naked. You could get attacked in your bed or in the shower. You cannot let such a stupid thing as embarrassment or modesty be your death.

"If you don't fight back, you'll hurt so much more," she finished off moving faster than he had seen anyone move before.

He moved his hand on reflex as her small fist crashed into his stomach, the wind exploding from his lungs as he flew back crashing completely naked through the flowers, plooming them up as he skidded to a painful stop.

_This is going to be a rough month long, twelve hour sleep. _

_**To Be Continued…**_

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	2. The Heroes Freedom

_**Mythic Night**_

_**Chapter II**_

_**The Heroes Freedom**_

Naruto couldn't help but groan as he rested after another beating. It's been around three weeks in this dream world of his creation and he's kind of gotten used to being naked around his demonic prisoner. Though, he sometimes gets aroused, and Kyuu-chan (what he calls her now) teases him a little, but even she's impressed he ignores that and continues training. He has to get much stronger after all.

She had helped him a little with his standard academy ninjutsu, but she refuses to use hand-seals or even say the techniques names, (he's not sure she has ever cared to learn or remember them).

She had then given him a three-hour lecture about the pointlessness of both. Apparently, neither is needed, and she says they are basically a learning aid to give a learning ninja something to focus on while starting out with the techniques, but since he already knows the hand-seals she doesn't want him to use them anymore.

In addition, she wants him to stop making things go poof by wasting chakra like that. So she told him about the shadow clones ability to pass on knowledge and help with chakra control, which will lessen the poof until it's completely gone.

He wished he had played around with the shadow clones enough to realise what he was doing wrong, or what training purposes they can serve. He can now not only tree walk but also water walk and he didn't have to get wet.

Now normally using hundreds of clones to train like that could be harmful. However, since this isn't the real world they can bypass such problems with relative ease. He just sends a large number off every so often and they run off into the woods he created to do more chakra control exercises.

He looked up to see Kyuu-chan just stretching and gulped as his penis was soon semi-hard. He knows she does it on purpose to tease him for her own twisted and pervy entertainment, but at least he now knows he isn't a pervert, though he sometimes wonders about her.

"Jailor… Naruto," she said with a sigh rolling her eyes. "Just deal with it for fucks sake… wrap your hand around it and pump away until you shoot your load and you'll feel so much better!"

"I… I can't do that here, in front of you," he said out quietly as his cheeks felt like they might explode along with his beating heart.

She soon moved over to him glaring and before he could comprehend what is going on she had pushed him back on to his back and sat on his strong abs with her tails pinned him down facing away from him.

"W-what are you…!" he trailed off in a gasp, his large and now solid member twitched and felt incredible as Kyuu's small right hand wrapped around his hard penis and squeezed the hot tool. Her hand was way too small to wrap around the whole of it. "K-Kyuu, what are you…"

"Just shut up and enjoy yourself you fucking dipshit!" she hissed out and he groaned as she started pumping his rock hard. He couldn't even think of stopping her as his fingers wound into her soft fur like hair and through the fur of her soft tails.

He was stroking her and reached her ears when a soft purring emitted from her chest like a cat. However, she concentrated on pumping his erection; he had relaxed and wondered why he hadn't realised how good that felt until now.

"Come on, you like that huh?" she purred out, she was moving herself, grinding her crouch on him secretly pissed that she's feeling this good, she just wanted him to cum and stop resisting such pleasures, but she liked it. "Shit… if you're not ready I don't care because I haven't been with anyone for centuries. I can live with the shame of you being a weak human for now. I'll soon make you so much more!"

"Wha… Oh god!" he cried out as she slid toward his throbbing member. She was really tight, hot and wet as she cried out as she slid out over it tearing through her cherry.

"Fuck…!" she cried out gasping for breath, as she was surprised she managed to get it all in now she's so small. "I forgot this body is new because of the sealing but… damn! I… I can feel it all in… you best not blow before me!"

He just whimpered as she started moving up and down purring louder and faster as she rode him faster and harder. His hands had moved to his waist guiding her, moving her beautiful body up and down. It was the most amazing feeling he had ever felt. It was difficult for him not to explode.

Kyuu was moaning out, her body quivering as she let Naruto move her up and down on him, she squeezed her own breasts, pinching her solid nipples. It had been so long, and this new body was just crying out for the pleasure and she cried out gasping for breath, her body squirting out over his tool as he continued to move her up and down.

"Now, just let go, fire into me!" she demanded, her chest heaving. "I want to feel it in me…"

She couldn't continue speaking as he just pulled her down gasping out she felt it bursting up out of him and filling her body with its hot sticky goodness. Her breath was taken away and she felt so incredible.

He might not be perfect, but with a little work, she can work on his technique. She waited a few minutes to make sure he had finished squirting his load deep inside her before she slid up and off leaving him a sticky mess.

Her purring had calmed as she stood over him looking back with cold red eyes. "Now we've both had a rest, it's time to get back to work. I will not have a weak lover!"

Naruto could only stare for a moment; his penis softening and he muttered the first thing that came to mind. "I didn't think foxes purred."

She rolled her eyes and stepped over him before kicking him in the ribs. "Get a clue, Naru-kun," she said smirking. "I'm not from this planet remember…? But then… I suppose you have a lot to learn."

Naruto groaned as he shook his head clear and winced as he rubbed his abs and remembered if she lets him do that again not to say something stupid afterwards, and to keep his guard up, she isn't a soft creature.

He knows somewhere along the road she has other motives other than not wanting to be kept in a weak prison, and the way he sees it, its somewhere along the lines of vengeance, but he'll deal with that when it comes. Now though, it's just about the training, the fighting, the hunting and striking… and by the look of it, the sex too, maybe she'll be satisfied with that for now.

Naruto rolled out of the way as Kyuu-chan came crashing down, her small fist impacting the ground where his head lay moments before. The dirt blast up and around in a radius as he threw himself up to his feet, she carried on moving at him with a sweeping kick taking out his feet and putting him back down.

"Just because a girl gives you some doesn't mean she won't try to kill you moments after," she said mocking him as she went to stomp on his face. However, he moved fast enough and caught her foot; disabling her, he knocked her back and flipped back up to his feet while panting for breath.

Naruto ground his teeth taking a few deep breaths to calm himself down while his blue eyes watched her, not blinking as he rolled his shoulders as he waited for her to attack again. However, she just stood and watched him while smirking, her red eyes fixing him with her cool stare.

He knew this was a part of her game plan, her fun way of seeing whether he'll charge in or wait and watch for an opening. He shifted his weight slightly and watched her take the bait as she took half a step back; he shot forward with his right fright sliding over her as she leaned back.

Naruto was practically flush to her soft and warm body as he had seriously over extended himself, and her smirk did not look promising. "You should always have a backup of a backup when you go in for the attack," she laughed as she licked his face before both her palms smashed into his abs and in a pulse of power, he went flying into the air crying out in shock and pain.

She grinned as she jumped up passed him as she flipped over heel kicking him in the back, back down. He cried out more as he slammed into the dirt floor, whimpering as he pushed himself up and way as she slammed her fist into the ground moments later forming a wide shallow crater. He didn't have time to catch his breath as she continued her assault low down as she seemed to disappear only to reappear next to him.

She had her right hand, her fingers lightly touching the ground by his feet holding her perky body off the ground as she swung her legs around. She swept him in a scissor kick knocking him off his feet before following through as she flipped up her left-foot smashing straight into his chest where he went flying backwards.

However, her eyes widened and she would admit she was impressed as he rightened himself in mid-flight as he was falling to land. He hit the ground skidding back making a small trail as he dug in both toes and fingers brining him to a stop.

This time he shot forward as soon as he stopped and caught Kyuu off guard as his knee connected with her stomach knocking the wind out of her and sending her bouncing several yards across the ground. Though, while bouncing she managed to gain control and push herself up to her feet to a stop.

She smirked darkly as she caught her breath, watching him catch his, licking her lips, she may have her own motivation for helping him, but as long as she gets these extra fringe benefits, she's pleased.

She'll get her vengeance in the end. Naruto will claim her vengeance for her. After all, it will suite him too, which is a reason to train him; another is that she will not let herself get associated with a weakling.

Konoha and its ninja can believe he's weak or weaker than them all they like, but the rest of this world shall know that Naruto Uzumaki is a powerful and dangerous ninja, and his name will bring fear to all of the dipshit criminals and bastards throughout the world. She knows it will take a miracle for them people to change. It's easier to hate than it is to forgive, but then creatures like them don't deserve Naruto's forgiveness because most of them would never seek it.

She's not stupid though so knows some in Konoha might seek his forgiveness, those who don't yet know of her presence but just go along with the older crowd. It's just a matter of giving them reason to want forgiveness, and if Naruto's Ninja-Hero kick works out he might actually get support.

Though, if Naruto really wants to be a real hero then he won't seek praise or recognition but just the gratitude of those he saves. She let her smirk widened, he has a long way to go yet, but with her intense training he'll have tyrants and drug peddling slave traders fearing the very thought of him. He'll be the thing of criminals nightmares and the victims dreams and fantasies.

"You've got to do better," she said as she swished towards him. "I have to make you stronger, better at everything."

She swished into his defences and started punching and kicking, pushing him back while he is trying in vain to block her hits peddling backwards. However, she was keeping up as she peddled forward continuing her attack when she pulled back both wrists together and she punted her palms forward crashing into his chest forcing him backwards, shooting over the flower field.

Naruto whimpered as he again bounced through the flowers skidding along the ground when they changed to a huge lake surrounded by swamplands and forests. He pushed himself up landing on his bare feet covered in bruises he stood on the surface.

He had half hoped that she would sink, but if he could catch her off guard that easy while cheating he would be the one teaching her a thing or too. She just smirked smugly as she walked towards him over the water as she looked around.

"I like the way you're thinking," she said but the smug tone of her voice made him gulp. "But this just makes things so much harder… for you," she laughed as she dropped with a splash into the water.

Naruto could only look sad for a moment before he felt her hands around his ankles and he was pulled in. At least he's already undressed and this will clean him up. If only he made the water warm, but it's freezing.

He held his breath just before his head went under, but as he's been taught, if his eyes are not at risk keep them open while fighting, don't even blink. She floated up as they were both submerged. Her fingers stroked up his body from his thighs before ending at his abs and striking.

However, for once her cheap shot didn't connect as he grabbed her shoulders and weaved out of the way before lashing out with his right knee connecting with her ribs. He could see her grunting even under the water before he let her go and swam away.

It was just unfortunate that underwater she's just as fast and moved, swimming up behind him and grabbing his hair with one hand while the other wound around to his chest. He felt her teeth nibbling on his left ear as he struggled to get free.

He was running out of breath, and no amount of cute otherworldly monster nibbling his ear is going to stop him panicking. However, it just took a thought and he was on his hands and knees gasping for breath as the lake had been replaced by a large glade.

Kyuu had surprisingly not landed heavily on him, but was still holding him like a girl might a giant teddy won at a carnival… well if the girl liked nibbling the teddies ear and pulling on its hair, and this one apparently does.

"Hmm, it's so much better to do this on dry land," she muttered in his ear with her soft warm wiggly tongue in it. "But you need to practice holding your breath while fighting under water… eventually I'll want you to be able to go a full thirty minutes or longer without having to breath. It's not all about water. I may be able to filter out poisonous gasses, but they can still screw with you…"

He whimpered shakily. He wondered how she could turn feeling her beautiful body against his back and her tongue in his ear into a lesson that's bound to be painful and give him years of bad dreams. Though, if she keeps this up those bad dreams will be overlapped by good ones.

"W-what are you…?" he asked out with a pleasant shudder rolling down his spine.

"Shut up!" she hissed out in his ear, the hand on his chest sliding down his abs and to his slowly hardening weapon. Her fingers and thumb slowly pumping it to rock status. "I've never experienced a human before you, and I never knew that I could find one so alluring. Though, I have been alone for so long, trapped in your second cousin, and then your mother, and now I'm near practically half human in you."

Naruto quivered again as her tongue slid through and around his ear and cheek. "Oh, hell…!" he whimpered as she suckled on his earlobe and pumped his member.

"Don't worry, in a few real-world-weeks," she spoke huskily. "You'll be capable of taking the ultimate title of Fuck-God of Konoha! You're going to get plenty of practice in me," he purred causing him to whimper.

Her squeezing on his hard, throbbing, needing made him realise. He so wants that title more than anything right now.

"Teach me, Kyuu-sensei!" his whimpered out as he finally looked back at her.

He felt his heart pound harder. Her blood red eyes had darkened and the pixilation was wild with need. He found it oddly sexy to see her soaking wet, her hair lathered to her body and her cute ears pulled back in aggression. Her lips pulled back as she growled, her lips crashed with his kissing him.

He was shocked by this action, but he didn't pull back. Instead, he closed his eyes welcoming her warm wet tongue into his mouth. His tongue met hers and she let him lose to turn around in her arms, his wrapping around her waist.

She still kept hold of 'him'. She looked into his lustful eyes as they darkened as he pushed her back crashing to the ground, his hands roaming her while hers roamed him. She had let go of him to feel his muscular body, her hands now roaming through his hair pulling his lips down her jaw to her neck, which caused her to moan and whimper out with their legs intertwining.

Her fingernails digging bloodily into his back, but he just let the pain egg him on as he suckled her neck his hands taking in her soft breasts, tweaking at her large stiff nipples.

She pushed him further down to her breasts as he squeezed on in each hand coning them, his mouth took one large nipple after the other and she cried out begging him to be rougher, more violent. He sucked harder and nibbled on her nipples. She screamed out as he bit harder, she held his head to her small bust.

"Oh gods don't stop!" she demanded. "Touch me; put your fingers in me, hold me, hurt me, screw me hard!"

While one hand continued with his mouth working her small tits, the other sliding down her tight, firm body to her smooth vagina… touching it for the first time with his fingers. Its soft and smooth, hot like flames dancing in her soaking wet juices, and sucked up his middle finger, then another, moving them in and out faster and faster.

He was nibbling her nipples while squeezing her breasts tighter, her fingers only digging deeper and deeper, her some of her tails wiping around them violently smashing up the ground while others wrapped around him, holding them tight together. He moved with effort up between her legs as he pulled his fingers free of his panting demon and licked them clean before placing his solid member over her entrance, it could feel her furnace as she demanded it.

He was lost in his need as he rammed it in, which caused her to scream high-pitched with pain and pleasure as his large weapon slid right in to its hilt. He then started pumping, her legs wrapping around his waist as he held her slim waist and pounded her warping chakra through his muscles to increase his strength and speed.

He moved faster and faster while she cried out and moaned ordering him to move faster, to break her while her tails were lashing out showing her power as they sliced him and her both, but that just egged him on to be more vicious with his thrusts. It felt like nothing he had ever imagined, like electric running through his glands, up into his stomach and through his heart, and mind exploding.

However, as he pulled up from kissing her moaning and crying lips, her leg's having loosened from exhaustion and the feeling ploughing through her body. He enjoyed watching her expression crossing pain and pleasure but all she wanted was more and more, which he was only too eager to give to her.

Her small breasts moved with every pump of her body, her eyes are closed but tears still leaked from her closed eyelids. Her hands have now moved to his shoulders, her claw like nails cutting into them.

He moved faster and faster, so much so that they were crushing the ground with his thrusts, their interconnected parts making squiggling sounds as he pounded harder into her. Her body quivering as she continually cried out ordered more, demanding that he fills her up. He could feel it bubbling powerfully in his gut.

Naruto pulled Kyuu up into his arms, his fingers wrapped tightly in her hair pulling what he held tort enough that he pulled her head back grazing her exposed neck with his teeth. She held him tighter, her nails in his flesh, pulling his body tight to hers. Her tails were spilling both of their blood, tearing the glade up but they kept going more.

He moved carrying her and moving faster than he thought he could shattering a tree with her back and head slamming into it while he continues, her tails flooring the few other frees around them, and with each thrust the large tree cracked more. He couldn't help but feel satisfied by her scream as he continued screwing her up against the tree, and that she kept pulling him to her.

"C-cum in-in-in me!" she ordered, demanded and that was all it took now for him to finally explode his load in her. The first time he did this felt amazing, but this time, words escaped him. He would never have guessed one guy could hold so much seed that he can feel it continuing and even overflowing.

He was gasping for breath as he leaned tiredly on her, trying hard to catch his breath with a last few pumps and squirt after squirt. His 'kunai' continued to throb and empty his load into her perfect, beautiful body for a few minutes while they both desperately gasped and panted for breath before it slowed to a stop. They had both relaxed holding each other soaked with sweat and blood overheated, her tails now flopped and relaxed.

"Y-you may just g-get that title if you stay such a good student," she whispered as she was snuggled in his arms holding on to him as he held her with his penis semi still deep inside her. "After all, a good fuck can get you far with the right lady. I'll just have to add teaching you how to pick up the ladies, but… remember, not all girls can take such a hard and violent pounding," she said tiredly.

He chuckled a little feeling as if he's near death as he lowered them down and lay on his back, collapsed and she just snuggled tight into his embrace. Their wounds were slowly sealing over as they rested, and with her fur and incredible fur like hair, it was like a soft and comfortable blanket over her soft and warm flesh covering him too.

"Wow… real ninja training is-is so much more fun than I ever thought," he muttered to himself more than to her, breathless still. "And… I think I'm more eager to learn than ever."

"It's all about the motivation, MY Jailor!" she replied with a tired yawn as she cuddled her jailor feeling comfortable and content, the scene of each other mingled together to make her feel relaxed as they rested together.

_**To Be Continued…**_


	3. No Worries

_**Mythical Night**_

_**Chapter III**_

_**No Worries**_

Naruto yawned as he woke up feeling groggy and like all his muscles had turned to jelly and led all at once. He pealed his eyes open and weakly looked up to the sky. The sun seemed to have just risen so he can only guess that it's early morning. He felt well resting considering his aches.

He was soon startled as he looked down to check his body over and realised some tightness in his clothes. It felt uncomfortable and restrictive. He had gotten used to not wearing them. He had felt free and relaxed after a while with Kyuu-chan without them but knows he can't go running around naked, the villagers will say he's lost his mind and try killing him.

He figured he needs some new airier clothes for better movement, and possibly some new colours. He likes orange but he likes other colours too, and if he gets something orange a darker colour would be preferable.

However, he has that evil cat sleeping on his lap wearing a little red ribbon around her neck with her name on it. He sighed; he can't really blame Tora the Cat for being a runaway and wanting to stay away. If he had to deal with that fat woman who owns her squeezing the life out of him while trying to give him a 'hug', he shivered at the thought of how fast he would flee.

Rolling his eyes, he stroked the black and white cats head and she started purring a proper kitty purr as she slowly woke up. She just seemed to blink in surprise as she looked at him before snuggling up to his hand.

"Crap girl, I feel like shite," he muttered as he cranked his neck. "Well, I'm hungry and need a snack or something for breakfast. I've had one hell of a dream," he said chuckling as he carefully scooped the purring feline into his arms and shakily stood up trying to shake of his muscle strain, he's sure he's felt worse before.

The cat seemed content to let him carry her as he walked through the woods stroking her fur. It's not as soft as Kyuu's fur, nowhere near in fact. How does a sealed demon keep her fur that soft anyway? It isn't as if she can buy any conditioner is it?

It took a little while to exit the forest that the sun was high up in the sky and he figured it's at least half-eight, half-nine. The academy teachers never cared for teaching these things as there're too boring, or the most 'awesome' 'genius' students don't want to know so they're practically looked over.

He smiled as he ignored all of the early morning glares he had received before taking a seat at the ramen stand where the old owner smiled at him.

Naruto smiled in return as he placed Tora down on the counter and she sat and cleaned her front paws. "Hey old man, can I get two large breakfast ramen, and a bowl of tuna for my friend and a bowl of water for her and an orange juice for me."

"Right on it Naruto," he replied cheerfully. "So no team meeting today?" he asked with a smile as he gestured the cat. "Or have you decided to take a mission from the cat to protect her from the next genin team?"

Naruto laughed as the old man placed down a bowl for the cat with some water before placing down Naruto's first bowl of ramen and cat and boy ate.

"Na old man, I just fell asleep outside and she had slept on my lap," he replied shrugging. "I feel a little sore so I won't be doing that again in a hurry."

"Trust you, Naruto," he said shaking his head as he poured the boy some fresh orange and placed it beside his plate. "You should be more careful where you sleep; there are some wild animals that could be dangerous."

"Will do," he agreed as his now empty bowl was soon replaced and dug in to the new one. "I was just out training, and took a rest, and fell asleep…"

"Oh, hey Naruto…!"

He was interrupted as a large boy with swirls on his cheeks entered with a grin. "I fancied some breakfast ramen this morning, too, and this place is best," he said smiling as he took a seat next to Naruto and the cat. "Sensei said me and my team can have the weekend off, what about you?"

He shrugged thoughtfully. "Well, I suppose since I really don't have much to do I could get a D rank mission by myself since my team has the week off after our first C rank mission."

"Well it's some pocket money, that's for sure," he replied as he got his first bowl. "I almost thought you were doing that now with Tora," he said gesturing the cat.

"Yeah, well, I was also thinking of getting a change of clothes since I'm off," he said looking thoughtfully down at his orange. "I feel like something different, you know? I feel a little constrained in these."

The large boy just chuckled nodding his head. "Sure, I get it man… a guy has to mix it up every once in a while."

"Right you are Choji," he readily agreed as he checked Tora had finished and stood to leave picking her up. "Recommend a good place…?"

"Well, there's this place my family owns that's pretty good," he said in thought. "They even add on family symbols and stuff while you wait if you wanted, or you can just order and they deliver."

"Thanks," he replied eagerly as Choji gave him the address. "Thanks, old man,… see you later but I've decided to cut back on this kind of food. I hear its keeping me short."

"Yeah, I've been telling you that," he called out as Naruto quickly left. He sighed and turned to Choji. "It seems like something's different about him."

"Yeah, let's hope he changes colours," he agreed smilingly.

It had been a few hours and Naruto was walking into the Hokage Tower with Tora walking beside him. The strong looking man who ran the ninja shop he had visited had surprised him. He has a young daughter who seems weapon happy and is on that fuzzy brow boys' team.

They had both been very nice, and though Naruto's flirting skills are minimal to non-existent he got Tenten blushing a little. Her father didn't even seem to mind. He was just being himself, so maybe he always had it, but concentrating on a devoted Sasuke fan-girl like Sakura never gave him a chance to realise or something like that.

Naruto was now kitted out with some really-good weapons and is no longer wearing a complete eye saw like bright orange. He's wearing baggy black combat trousers and black half boots and a hugging lose armoured (yet thin) sleeveless tee shirt.

He's got a black belt with a black pouch on his right and two shuriken holsters on the other side with loads of hidden tiny throwing knives around it. Then he's wearing a dark orange leather jacket with a baggy firm hood with black lining, and on the back of the jacket a huge black spiral as a mark of his clan with a smaller one over his right pocket.

The jacket has a few pockets on it, as well as some hidden compartments. However, he had also changed the material his forehead protector is on for a dark orange too. The reason he's wearing boots is quite sound and if not for Kyuu wouldn't have realised that exposed toes… more delicate than fingers is a stupid idea for people who kick the shit out of each other for their job.

He looked pretty-good, his jacket left undone for quick removal as it does, by design hamper movement a little, Tenten's dads idea, and weighs nicely for added assistance while training or just going about his business.

Naruto got some surprised looks while walking up the stairs to see the Hokage. He had only gone to that shop as Choji recommended it, and found his new favourite place. In addition, to getting all his wear and tears, and his weapons untainted he'll get to see Tenten's cute smiling face when she's in.

He ran his right hand through his mess of blonde hair and made a mental note to remember to pick up the rest of his order later in the evening before bed. He could have had it delivered but didn't want them to lose custom by having them delivering to his apartment, plus it's a shitty neighbourhood and district full of crime and he didn't want Tenten going there if he can help it.

He almost laughed as the sectary (who glares in hate when he come with Kakashi but can't do anything) almost didn't get up to stop him. It was amusing as she sat at her desk with her mouth hanging open before she got up in a raging temper.

She had charged at him only for him to side step, trip her and one gentle nudge in the back and she went flying out of the open window behind him screaming as she fell several floors too… possibly her doom but more than likely she'll survive.

She may only be a weak forever-chunin genius-worshiper, (the reason she could never improve, because she doesn't think she could because of her genius worship. She's one of those that believes only 'genius-ninja' can be strong, or that there is such a thing as 'genius-ninja', which proves the existence of stupid-ninja at least). However, she's still and ninja so should at the very least survive the fall.

Though, if she does just go splat, it isn't like the Hokage will miss her. He complains about her on a regular bases so maybe if she does go splat he'll get someone halfway competent. Anyway, bitch attacked him, so he is within his personal right to throw the weak bitch out of the window. He was stronger than her before he ever met Kyuu.

Naruto shrugged with a smile as he pressed the seal-ran intercom thing on her desk. Though, not before wondering whether he could get a book on seals like that, they could become useful in the future. He'll have to remember to look around, and steal one if he has too.

"Hokage-sama, Genin Uzumaki is here to see you…" he said, turning his voice softer but gruffer, imitating that woman's sickeningly sweet voice that she uses, which in his opinion is shudder worthy, and sounded evil. He's pretty good at imitation, and congratulated himself on his mimicry.

"Umm… send him in," he replied sounding confused, and Naruto knew that if she were to tell him he's here she would have been rude and called him a brat or something.

Naruto laughed as he barged into the old man's office and closed the door. The old man was sat behind his desk looking at him in surprise having. He had paused his paperwork and whatever else he was doing with Team 8, which is Hinata's team, and some huge fat woman.

"My Tora…!" the fat woman cried out as she saw the cat, said cat hiding behind Naruto's leg as he promised to protect her as his first official mission to become a hero. He smiled at the purl-eyed Hinata Hyuuga with short purple hair with tails of hair either side of her head over her ears.

The thirteen-year-old girl looked to him with some gentle eyes. It's a surprise her family can be dick-heads to her… don't they have hearts? She has beautiful soft pale skin and some black bicycle shorts, blue ninja sandals with a thick white jacket hiding whatever lovely assets she has hidden.

Hinata has a slender form, but a little more meat by way of muscle than these twig girls he sees around (Sakura), which makes him wonder why he bothered with that pinky. Her thighs look nice, even hidden by her shorts and looking knows she has a great butt. He just wishes he could see her in a slender top to see was she's hiding under her jacket, but all in good time and maybe she'll show him.

Naruto was brought out of his staring while Hinata's face was burning red as his eyes roamed her, (she was looking faint, so was thankful for the distraction), and no one else seemed to notice as the fat woman ran forward to collect the cat. However, a cool glare from Naruto stopped her to her in her tracks, surprise.

"My apologies My Lady," he said bowing formally to make sure he doesn't offend her and lose the genin her business. "However, I have agreed to assist Miss. Tora as it has come to my attention that she has a few perfectly legitimate reasons for running away so often."

"S-she does…?" the woman asked looking completely baffled and she wasn't the only one who secretly wondered whether he could talk to cats.

He nodded his head with a kind smile to disarm her. "Yes, and I've decided to tell you what they are because I don't care how much money you recklessly waste hiring us to capture her. She is an innocent creature and should be heard."

"W-what's wrong, Tora?" she asked in worry looking at the cat as she peeked from behind Naruto's legs before looking to Naruto for the answer.

He smiled a little more to keep her on his side and nodded his head in gratitude. It is had always been quite simply for him to lie, or bend the truth, it's just he had never cared to get away with it before, even though he's not lying, he still has to convince her, so it takes the same skills, which are good for a ninja.

"Well, first, she's a CAT," he said making sure to say the last word louder to emphasise his point of her species. "She'll want to go out to do her business and hang out with other cats, and hunt mice and small birds like other cats. Then next, she doesn't want or need all of that people food because it's bad for her, just some fish and white meets for a treat, but otherwise normal cat-chow, and last, but most important, you smother her in your gigantic bosom."

He glared at the Hokage, Team 8's jonin-sensei, Kurenai Yuri, and genin-Kiba for snickering before turning a smile to the large woman. "And If she wants to cuddle she'll come to you. If you want a pet that will stay in and let you fuss obsessively over it, get a dog!"

"Hey, are you saying cats are better than dogs?" the wild bog tamer ninja Kiba demanded while the white puppy on his head barked in offence.

"B-but if she goes out…" she interrupted, and ignored the dog lover in worry.

However, Naruto interrupted before she tried to give reasons for keeping her in all the time and tried not to roll his eyes. "Cats are very smart. They can find their way home, and remember where they live. You just need to put in a kitty-door. I'm sure you can hire a genin team to go and get one and install it into your door at home for her."

"So… this door will let my Tora come and go when she wants?" she asked hopefully. He nodded with a reassuring smile. "And… I shouldn't force her to sit with me?"

"Of course not… she wants to feel free just like you do," he agreed smiling wider as he picked up the frightened cat and placed her in the ladies waiting arms. "Ease up, she won't fall. She has better balance than any of us. That's it, and when you pet her be soft and mindful. Cats are strong but you're a larger lady, so you're stronger and could easily hurt her."

She smiled as Tora started purring. "Wow, she's never stayed so still. You are wonderful, what is your name?"

"Naruto Uzumaki, My Lady," he said with a bow hoping she doesn't go hateful suddenly but he was surprised.

She smiled brightly. "Well, Uzumaki-san, thank you for helping me. Hokage-sama I wish to have this nice young man paid for the retrieval ten times over. Also, would it be possible for this nice young man to join this team in getting me some kitty-doors and fitting them for my dear Tora?"

The Hokage looked a little baffled before shrugging. "Well, umm… I guess that's perfectly fine… let's say, expect them between nowish and four if that's OK by you?"

"Of course," she replied smiling before turning back to Naruto. "And thank you again, Uzumaki-san. I'll be sure to recommend you to everyone I know that you are an honourable shinobi of Konoha!" she said smiling before she left the office closing the door after her.

"Honourable, you… more like moron…?" Kiba mocked looking annoyed. "But I suppose fitting a cat doors better than hunting that monster!"

"Kiba-kun, don't be m-mean to Naruto-kun," Hinata timidly tried to reprimand him, her cheeks alit red as she hoped to impress Naruto. "N-Naruto-kun had-had just done something nice for that lady," she finished off blushing brighter and trying not to look at her crush even though she wants to.

"Yes, well, Kurenai," the old man Hokage said with a sigh to Team 8's Jonin-sensei as he pulled out some money and handed it over to the black haired, red eyed beauty. "Just-just bring back a receipt so we can charge her the extra for the cat door."

She shrugged and nodded as she figured she can teach them a little about menial labour while fitting the door. "Well, come on you four, it looks like we have a mission," she said smiling at them.

"Sweet," Naruto said with a grin as he followed them out of the door. "Now I'll be able to see how a non-Uchiha worshiper does things," he said closing the door after him.

The old man sighed and felt only mildly concerned by the large clan symbol on Naruto's back. It isn't like he could find out the truth, and if he did he would have said something wouldn't he? Naruto's just going for a new look and has gotten fed up with his team enough to actually start showing it. It's not-uncommon, so no need to start worrying about Naruto getting angry at him just yet. He had that spiral on his old clothes so probably got attached to it or something like that.

If only he could do more for the boy. The only thing he can do right now is allow Naruto to go out on missions with other teams. Though, if he could find a team in need of a transfer, or something like that he would get Naruto off him team ASAP, but he needs to be slippery when dealing with this. Though, for the time being sending him out with other teams, the other teachers can give Naruto some guidance without any of the Council or moronic interlopers sprouting shit ass traditions to get in the way.

Sometimes he feels like half of his village are traitors just out to fill their own pockets or just get vengeance on the Kyuubi by tormenting and ruining Naruto's life. Someday he can see Naruto just not taking their crap anymore and striking back. He hopes he's alive to see the day when Naruto shows them.

Naruto whistled as he walked beside the blushing and cute purple haired, purl-eyed thirteen-year-old girl who stalks him. "So Hinata-chan…" the suffix almost made her pass out but made him smile wider. "I know what you do in your spare time…" he teased with a grin while she paled and looked sick, her cute little cheeks tinting green.

He leant in closer so their teammates up ahead wouldn't hear. "My senses are very acute," he said causing her to neatly collapse out cold, but he caught her, scooped her light form into his arms, and carried her without missing a beat.

"What did you do…?" Kurenai asked as she looked round to check on them, an eyebrow raised in suspicion.

He gave her a sheepish grin. "Umm… sorry, I was just teasing her and she passed out, don't worry. It was my bad so I'll carry her. I haven't seen her go for more than a few minutes at a time… maybe we should get her checked out, maybe she has some kind of illness?" he suggested reasonably.

"Maybe we should get you checked out for stupidity," Kida said laughingly as if he actually said something amusing, though it was only him laughing.

Naruto just shrugged as he made a mental note to study up some healing stuff, or at least that medical scan thing, or whatever, Kyuu didn't even mention it things like that. She's more about the ass kicking and fighting.

"OK, just be careful with her," Kurenai said as she slapped Kiba's head while glaring at him in annoyance. She's starting to have enough with his lip and rudeness. "And can you stop being an ass or I'll have to speak with your mother."

Kiba paled worse than Hinata had. "Oh, gods no, please don't," he said worried but everyone knew he would shortly forget the treat and continue on being a moron, or offensive in some way.

"Then stop being a fool, you're not funny and just making yourself look stupid," she replied rolling her eyes and half wondering whether she's allowed to beat some sense into him with a few swift punches. "Anyway, here we are… Kiba, since you don't know how to behave, come and help me pick out the cat door."

"N-no way," he said looking up at the building with a quiver. "My family runs this place, and… my sister runs the vets here… what if she's here, working, and not on a mission or at home or something?"

"Well, if she is in and you don't come… who knows what I might tell her, understand?" she demanded while he nodded, scared, but she knows it won't last. "Good, now, Naruto, Shino, pleased wait here with Hinata, we shouldn't be long, so we don't all need to go and find this thing."

She then led Kida away and into the shop just as Hinata was coming too, and before she passed out again Naruto slid her back onto her feet and moved a little further back from her. She staggered a little and looked confused, but Shino's eyebrow actually rose behind his round sunglasses, impressed.

Naruto shrugged sheepishly. "It took five pass outs once before I realised she was really that embarrassed to wake up in my arms," he quickly said before Hinata got her bearings blinking sleep from her eyes baffled.

"Err, oh, S-Shino-kun… N-N-Naruto-kun," the sweet stalker stuttered out wondering and worried whether that was just a dream and she spaced out, her cheeks bright red with confusion. "W-what… umm…"

"Don't worry Hinata-chan," Naruto said smilingly. "Stick with me," he said leading her into the pet store with Shino shrugging as he followed them. "It's better than the bushes," he teased as they walked passed some fuzzy bunnies.

Naruto quickly grabbed a fluffy white rabbit out of its pen as he saw her about to go to dream land, and plopped it into her arms, startling her. She just looked at the tiny thing as it looked up at her with little pink twitchy nose. She had just forgot about passing out as she smiled, petting the cute little things soft fur.

"Maybe you should take Kiba's place on this team," Shino suddenly said as Hinata is distracted playing with the bunny. Naruto looked to him in surprise and he shrugged. "All Kiba wants is confrontation and just makes fun of her, and I'm not much of a people person, but you seem to know how to treat her and other people with respect."

"I think…" Naruto agreed as he smiled while looking back at Hinata as she put the bunny back and stroked some others. "She doesn't have a clue how incredible she can be you know… but I do," he said the last three words looking back to the other boy. "I'm tired of being the weak fool, and I think deep down, she's tired of being the timid weakling… and no matter how strong we get, or how much stronger, people like Kiba will always believe he is better or stronger, but I don't care about that anymore. I'll let my actions speak for themselves."

"I too have problems with predigest," he agreed with a nod. "But all we can do is become better, stronger, and not let their foolishness get to us, or we'll become just as bad as them. I refuse to be like them."

He nodded with a smile before turning back to Hinata and playing with the rabbits with her. She had actually talked with him about them without stuttering much. It was nice… not only is she beautiful, kind, and sweet, but a beautiful person and he made a promise to help her the same way Kyuu had helped him as she doesn't have a monstrous powerhouse from another world to save her.

"Hey, you three," Kurenai called out as she came to their aisle a little while later having looked around for them after she found them missing from out front. "Come on, let's get going and install the cat door, stop playing with the bunnies," she said rolling her eyes as even Shino had been petting a bunny.

Naruto smiled as he stood up after placing both his and Hinata's bunny away and offered his hand to her. She smiled while blushing as she let him pull her up, and she found herself walking with him near holding his arm.

They followed Kurenai out of the store where Kiba waited while sulking with the cat door in its box in his arms. He just gave Naruto, Hinata, and Shino a cold look for making him wait. Though, it had no effect on either Naruto or Shino, Hinata let go of Naruto's hand looking ashamed as if she had done something wrong.

"Don't we need to go and get some tools?" Naruto asked to distract him from looking at Hinata like that. It's either distract the jerk or break his face. Kiba just shrugged and shoved the box into him allowing him to look over the instructions.

"Nope, we won't need any," Kurenai said smugly as she led the way with the four genin following her lead.

It was three hours later and Naruto was quite impressed with the odd little jutsu Kurenai had taught them just to do a little DIY. It's kind of magic with the way it works, and though Hinata said her family wouldn't like her learning such non-Hyuuga things even she learnt them… well after Naruto told her too. She pretty much obeyed him as if making him happy is so much better than making her family happy, which is a nice sentiment.

It had taken a short while to get finished when Kurenai said they can all go off and do their own thing after where Kiba carried on teasing Hinata. It's not the gentle and playful teasing either, but it's hurtful and sometimes borderline sexist, or just plain out sexist and offensive.

"Kiba, look, it's your sister ridding a giant stick cloud…!" Naruto said actually surprised Kiba looked at where he was pointing at nobody.

"Where…?"

He just collapsed unconscious to the ground as Naruto pulled his fist back and pulled out some markers while the boys dog wisely ran away leaving him. Kiba was completely out and bleeding from his nose and mouth.

"These are permanent markers, Hinata-chan," Naruto said smirking with a suggestive eyebrow wiggle. "Let's get him back for being so mean to such a great person like you?"

She was a little reluctant but after some coaxing where even Shino agreed it was OK and that he really did deserve it, the three of them doodled on his face. Naruto drawing a huge dick where it should be smack dab on the dog boys' forehead caused Hinata to giggle in embarrassment but she gave Naruto a weird look he couldn't discern.

"He deserved it," Kiba's sister, the beautiful, Hana turned up with her three large dogs and Kiba's puppy. "He always deserves it," she said smirking as she grabbed him and carried him off with a simple thanks, thanking them for beating him up and doodling on his face. Naruto likes her, she has a fun sense of humour.

"Well, you guys want to get something to eat?" Naruto asked them both hopeful as he felt his stomach grumble.

"Thank you for inviting me, but I believe… I have some training to do," Shino said after a moment. "And I must remember never to fall for any kind of 'look over there' ploy," he said before walking off.

"How about you Hinata-chan?" he asked as he turned to her looking hopeful.

She blushed while biting her lower lip and nodded. He grinned as he took her hand and dragged her off to find a place to get some lunch.

Meanwhile Shino had walked home with a lot to think about. Naruto, the 'dead last' had effortlessly decked Kiba, surprisingly when it comes to practical Kiba was near top of the class at the academy. He had never known Naruto to cheat at anything before, but just seeing him cheap shot that egotistical jerk almost made Shino smile.

Shino made it in quick time back to his family home while continuing to think. If they continue the way they are, Hinata will never improve. Its apart of his responsibility to bring these things up. He can't continue to allow Kiba to continue bullying Hinata, and he was being mild today because they had Naruto with them and though Naruto didn't care about Kiba's rudeness to him, it's obvious he cared about Kiba demoralising Hinata.

Therefore, he entered his father's study to ask for some advice as Kurenai just can't do much, and it seems even Kiba's mother can't get him to quiet down. He doesn't seem to realise that he's being a dick no matter who tells him. He just thinks he's having a laugh even though it's only him laughing.

"What seems to be troubling you, son?" his father asked from behind his desk.

"I am once again troubled about my teammate Kiba's selfish arrogance," he spoke his concern as he had once before when the team began. "He is nothing like Hinata and me, and is constantly putting her down, and when we were on our first mission together tried peeking on her and Sensei. If not for me he might have. I find this behaviour dangerous and disrespectful.

"He treats us both as if we're beneath him, and during our first C rank mission he almost got Hinata seriously injured. If it weren't for Kurenai-sensei I would hate to think."

"Kurenai is a clever woman, I'm sure if he was really getting to be that… annoying she would get rid of him," his father replied looking thoughtful. "However, I'm not sure what would happen as I doubt he's done enough for anything like dismissal. You would have to trade him with someone from one of the other two teams."

"Yes, I have also seen this… predicament," he agreed looking thoughtful. "However, it seems that because of the team dynamics that he could only be traded with Naruto Uzumaki."

"I see," he replied not showing his surprise. "And you would be pleased with this turnaround?"

"I would father," he agreed nodding his head. "The faster this is accomplished, the better for my team. Kakashi's team will be quite capable of putting Kiba in his place."

"Very well," he agreed. "I know that you of all people would not want this unless it is a good option. I shall speak with Kurenai and the Hokage about this matter, but I cannot make any guarantees."

"That is all I can hope for, father," he said with a nod of gratitude before leaving his father's office and hoping for the best.

_**To Be Continued…**_


	4. Mission 10

_**Mythical Night**_

_**Chapter IV**_

_**Mission 10**_

It's been just over seven weeks since Naruto had started his new and actual training while he sleeps and his muscles have started adapting to all of the extra strain put on them from all of the workout they get during the night. He had never felt so good in his life. It's like everything is starting to fit where it once never.

He's hung out with Hinata and Shino in his spare time and done quite a few D Rank missions with Team 8, which would be perfect if Kiba wasn't there complaining all of the time, but worse, being a douche. Though, at least Naruto has been helping Hinata come out of her shell more and more, and now she doesn't pass out anymore, or at least hasn't while near him.

Though, he has also completed a few D Rank missions with Team 10, but he has to admit, though Ino is a super-hot blonde with incredible looking thighs and ass, she isn't anywhere as near fanatical as Sakura in her Sasuke obsession she can be quite bitchy and bossy. Though, it's preferred over hanging out with his team.

However, the reason he's been spending so much time with either Team 8 or Team 10 is because Team 7, his team doesn't do anything. It starts out with waiting hours in the morning for Kakashi to turn up, they do one D Ranked mission and then get the rest of the day off, so Naruto just stopped turning up after a week of that and none of his teammates, or his sensei have sought him out so what does he care.

He knows that Kakashi just took Sasuke off to give him private lessons, not even taking Sakura with them. Though, he's sure Sakura knows what's going on, she cares so little for her own training that its near criminal with how weak she is. She's just going to end up getting seriously injured or killed, or worse because facing the truth is that Sasuke would NEVER protect her, and Naruto is unsure whether he should care too. She's just a liability to Team 7, but looking at it that way they're all a liability.

At least he has teams he can work with, other teams to hone some team working skills and much needed relief from his moronic team. Heck, even Ino's team knows how to work together and train together, and even the bossy girl herself knows how important her teammates are to the TEAM.

It makes him feel sick just thinking about how spoilt Sasuke is that Naruto wouldn't be surprised to learn that villagers and Kakashi wipe his ass for him with their tongues. He had almost gotten Shino laughing when he suggested that. He just doesn't get how these people have so little respect for themselves.

He just can't understand all of the girls either, (well most of them), their attraction to a moody, ungrateful, prick emo-douche with the emotional range of a potato after its been chewed up and craped out by a fat woman before its nibbled on by flies.

It's just, what does he have? Does he have anything worthwhile or redeeming about him? The only thing Naruto see's is a guy who WILL become both an abusive husband and abusive father. Well, only if he lives that long. His arrogance may just get him slaughtered. Though, there's that part of Naruto that knows Sasuke will probably run away given the chance to go on his vengeance bender.

Naruto just can't fathom why the girls want him… why? It's just pathetic. It makes them seem desperate when they have no reason to be. He isn't the only male in the village, and Naruto has wondered whether he isn't a girl. They have nothing in common with him, and even if they do, they'll never find out because Sasuke doesn't give a dam about them to have a simple conversation.

Anyway, aside from these things Naruto has gotten comfortable occasionally when he's truly free hanging out at Tenten's shop chatting with her while she's the only one there. He was actually surprised that the customers that came in (ninja) didn't glare at him or anything, but then he realised that he didn't see one 'genius-ninja' or any of their weak worshipers enter the store.

He had been a little confused and must have spoken aloud as Tenten told him that her father refuses to cater to people like them because he doesn't believe they're worth his brother, and Choji's family were completely on his side not ever being considered a powerful clan, and that opposing popular belief that they're lazy they do work hard.

It had been nice to realise that there are some cool people, be it very small in numbers. It's like the unheard ninja use this shop. Tenten had just taken his hand with a cute understanding grin as both of them have that in common. Its nice he realised, knowing there are some ninja who want to become stronger without just quitting because they have no belief that they could ever match these so called genius.

Tenten had been kind enough to teach him a few things about all sorts of weapons from swords and axes to throwing knives to bows and arrows. He was impressed with her tips and titbits of assistance that his aim started to improve when it came to projectiles. She also helped him in palaces Kyuu couldn't when it came to wielding a sword.

That's when he saw it. It was an odd sword. It has a silver coloured blade with curved blade edges going into a straight tip, and black and dark green faded tribal markings. The handle has a metallic black grip that seemed sectioned in two pieces with a dark green piece on the end that looked like it could fit his fingers. The sword isn't overly long and the whole sword was light as he picked it up.

The only reason it took him so long to notice the beautiful weapon is because it wasn't on the shop floor and he saw it while helping Tenten move a few boxes out back to the shop floor full of new kunai and shuriken.

Tenten just stood watching him with this amused grin on her face as he took some experimental swings with it. He didn't know why, but maybe it was just its odd design that garnered so much of his attention. It just seemed like more than his eyes and fingers could discern.

He wasn't much for weapons, except for kunai and shuriken because they make up for his lack, or previous lack of long range techniques, but those techniques he knows take too much time at the moment.

He swished the sword from his right to left hand with ease, but it felt more comfortable in his left so he figured its handle was made for the left hand, which is OK by him, as he has no real preference for a sword, though his right is his dominant.

"I… I think I want this…" he muttered more to himself than his watching friend. "It's so light and elegant, and…"

"Matches you, fine, but…" she said giggling as she moved over and wrapped her arms around him, blushing as she took the handle with him and helped him feel the switches. He started as the sword swished open with a tense cord of black and railings of green on the inside and black out, and he realised that the green 'finger' slots were their so that when this weapons in its bow form the archer can pull back without gloves to protect his fingers from the 'string' cutting into them.

"Whoa, now I have to have it," he said as he smiled at her as she pulled back and dug out a dark green flat triangular arrow holster with black markings and a black blade sheaf under it hidden leaning out to the left. It housed twenty-five beautifully, and powerfully made arrows with room for a lot more with green feather ends, and black stems with dark silver crossheads.

"Dad made it for me," she said as he swished it back to its sword form, surprised it fits so much extra in it without being bulky as she took it and slid it into its sheaf. "But, I'm not much for archery. It takes too long for me to fire on target, and in the ninja world needs way too much stealth and that isn't my field, so he said we'll find someone for it, so take it."

"Umm… how much…?" he asked as he took the gear and looked at the strap setup up but didn't put it on. "This is going to cost a lot; can I set up a payment plan?"

She giggled as her soft brown eyes rolled. "It's a gift silly… dad said it was up to me. It's one of his best ever made weapons. It's awesome, isn't it?"

Naruto had to fight off potential tears as he was near squeezing the life out of her, not that she minded too much as he kissed her checks each before giving her a quick kiss on the lips. He then yelled bye and his eternal thanks before running out of the shop, leaving her dazed, giddy and happy as her heart pounded with a pleasant pain in her chest as he went home.

He didn't want anyone to see his knew weapon as schemes ran around his mind. He knew that he shouldn't go around showing off the Bowblade. He has a plan for its use, and he's certain neither Tenten nor her dad would tell on him, they're very confidential people, plus Ten-chan likes him as more than just friends and isn't a grass.

Naruto shares his whole large eighty-two apartment building with no one. It was built a while back as an attempt to get people off the streets and clean up the district a little, but after Minato Namikaze, the Fourth Hokage died, and the Village Council was quick to stop caring, and cancelled the projects he set up. It was built over an existing apartment block that was near falling down, but it saved money doing that.

The apartments are quite huge, estimated some around the same size as his and his is the top floor to one corner, and has four bedrooms, a lounge, a dining room, and large bathroom, a kitchen, and an extra toilet. Though, he knows some of the apartments only have three rooms, and a few with just two and no second toilet and no dining room, instead the lounge is slightly larger though to fit a dining table, and the kitchen is open plan with the lounge.

Hoverer, his neighbourhood is now a shithole even for the shithole district he lives in. It doesn't matter to him though. He was given the whole place by the Hokage when he complained about the lack of company and said he can rent out the apartments if he wanted, which, nobody would rent rooms there even if he wasn't the landlord.

The basement had always been huge with tall ceilings and the building is quite strong and stable. It's just all the apartments but his are wrecks. He walked around the huge cavernous warehouse of a basement in awe, as he had never thought about setting up any training area down there before, but now. He needs a private place to train while not in his mind.

He has been down here plenty of times before as it has some secret tunnels he found leading into the sewers, which leads him to or from every part of the village, even off limits areas. He hadn't had the guts to sneak into off limits areas before, even though he's found secret doors in and out of some of the older places.

Naruto knows that he can have any training ground he needs when he sleeps but he needs to practice for real too or at least start too, and it wouldn't hurt to have his own secret base. He's quite sure this basement isn't on any blueprints. It took him a few years of exploring to find the way in.

Yes, he smirked; this place is perfect. It took him a real world week to set the place up with target boards, some makeshift exercise equipment, and some large location for a workshop as he had finally stolen some books on these seals. He figured it wouldn't hurt to have some special arrows that blow up and whatever else his clones could get them to do while he slept at night.

He practiced his bowblade in his dreams but nothing was as good as in the real world. It had also been during this week that he tested his skill with shadow clones by sending them off on D Ranked missions to try and up his bank balance so that he could start fixing up apartments so that perhaps he could over time convince some people to rent from him to earn extra money.

If he wants to help people in a world where money is just as important if not more so as strength he realised he should try to make as much as he can, and there are no rules against him having work outside of his shinobi duties as long as it doesn't conflict. He wouldn't have thought about that if not for Tenten working with her father, and even Ino working in her family flower shop so looked these things up.

It had been just over a week since he got his new bowblade gift from Ten-chan hoping that he does start making money by renting out apartments. Then he can buy her something as a thank you, maybe take her out somewhere nice, and hope Hinata doesn't get too jealous as he'll treat her too for being so nice to him.

He had made some secret hideaways for his weapons and books in his base, so knows he's getting better at building. He didn't even have to steal books for that as the civilian bookshop sells to anyone as in this district, not many people read so they can't be picky. Though, the old man and woman that own and run the shop with their granddaughter haven't ever been hostile to him so he got all his books on building from them and they were happy for the business.

However, he was just getting away from working on his building while leaving a shed load of clones to get on with whatever when he heard someone call his name. He looked over to see Ino rushing over from a little way off, and he waited admiring her looks from blonde hair to blue eyes and pretty lips and supple breast hidden by her white top and incredible thighs in black bicycle shorts.

She has filled out nicely since leaving the academy, and it's nice to see she is eating properly and not starving herself to look good for that prick Sasuke, and actually looks so much better, and possibly happier.

"Naruto, there you are," she said with a sigh as she pulled to a stop to catch her breath. "I thought I would have to go to your apartment or something," she said shuddering. "The Hokage gave me your address, but I wanted to check other places first. I don't know how you can live in such a dodgy area!"

He just chuckled smiling at her with a smile she finds annoying because it's so… she doesn't want to even think that. "We've got a C Rank mission… we've got to find a special herb that grows out in the mountainous areas due west, for the hospital," she continued as he walked towards the Hokage tower with her.

"So, they just sent you out looking for me?" he asked in surprise.

She just rolled her eyes and grabbed his right arm pulling him along faster. "No, I was volunteered as both of the boys and Sensei had things to pack. I can't believe for once I'm the only one ready straightway… oh, do you have everything?"

"Yeah, I've taken to carrying a few scrolls with stuff I'll need with me," he agreed while she nodded in appreciation as she dragged him on even though he was keeping up perfectly fine by himself, she's discovered he has quite the disappearing talent and doesn't want to lose him now she's found him.

"Good, I want to get this done quick and simple," she said as she led him into the Hokage tower and up to the old man's floor.

Naruto was surprised to see the furious sectary. She had obviously not died and somehow kept her job even though she attacked a fellow ninja. He has to wonder how these morons manage it. He'll have to deal with that when he gets some more free time.

"Hey you, brat what do you think…!" she screamed as Ino had blinked only to see the woman getting lobbed out of the window and looking Naruto had replaced himself with a stapler.

She had no idea how he managed that but shrugged; she hates that stupid bitch as much as everyone does. She shouldn't just attack the Hokage's guests like that, and maybe if she doesn't die she'll have learnt her lesson.

Naruto gave Ino a sheepish grin as she put down the stapler and shrugged as he gave her a look. "That's surprisingly the second time I've thrown her out of the window," he said sheepishly while she looked surprised before giving him a smile. "Well, watch this…" he said as he pressed the button on the intercom. "Hokage-sama," he imitated the woman. "Uzumaki-san and Yamanaka-san are here to see you."

"Umm… well, OK I umm… send them in," the Hokage's voice replied sounding confused.

Ino couldn't help but giggle. "You could get a gig as an impersonator, but she's never that polite, the ill-mannered bitch!" she said as he led her in where her other two teammates had returned with their sensei, Asuma, the Hokage's son.

Naruto walked up to Asuma, pulled the cigarette from his mouth, and threw it out of an open window glaring. "I told you that that is a filthy habit, and if you want to die slowly go get yourself captured in Rock Country!" he said before finishing off with a glare at the Hokage as he was quickly putting out his pipe trying to look innocent as Naruto has gotten on an anti-smoking campaign.

Ino couldn't help but agree. If they want to ruin their lungs, they can at least have the decency to smoke outside so they don't ruin everyone else's lungs with second hand smoke. She doesn't want to die a slow and painful death if she can help it. She's already a ninja, which is dangerous enough.

"W-well, Naruto-kun, I'm glad Ino-chan found you," the Hokage said with a smile already missing his pipe. "But did you throw my sectary out of the window again?"

He just shrugged sheepishly. "Yeah, but maybe you should send her back, she isn't a very good one, and even worse ninja. I think she's defective or something like that."

"Yes, well…" he took a deep breath and smiled. "I'll assume, Ino has informed you of your mission?" he asked and Naruto nodded smiling in agreement. "Well then, since you're all ready I think you should probably get on your way, OK?"

"Right, you four," Asuma said getting their attention as he pulled out a new cigarette, but quickly spoke up as Naruto gave him a look and Ino glared. "I'll wait until I'm outside," he said sad that Ino agreed with Naruto's no smoking inside kick. "Well, anyway, I'll give you all half hour to finish up any last minute… well, whatever, and we'll meet at the West Gate in forty minutes."

He then left with Choji and Shikamaru, their teammates out of the door with Ino and Naruto bringing up the rear. They had got ahead of the two blondes as they didn't much care to hurry as West Gate isn't very far from the Hokage tower and don't have anywhere they need to be when Naruto had to dodge a fist.

"NARUTO!" the pink haired Sakura roared out in anger as she had spotted him. Ino had stopped to watch, surprised by the pink haired girls anger as she struck again only for Naruto to side step looking baffled. "Why haven't you been turning up to team meetings!?" she demanded getting frustrated as he effortlessly moved from another punch.

"Perhaps, because you're violent," Ino interrupted as Naruto pushed aside a couple of punches, but Sakura hadn't noticed as she looked over at her light blonde haired ex-best friend as she hadn't noticed her.

"Oh my god, Ino, you're that desperate?" Sakura demanded in shock. "You're hanging around with, Naruto-baka!"

Ino just glared at her in return. "Hey, what's that supposed to mean, Forehead-girl. I've actually gotten to know him a bit when he's taken missions with my team. He's quite cool company actually."

Sakura snorted while Naruto watched, surprised that Ino had stood up for him. "Yeah, right, what next, you going to start the Dead Lasts fan club because if you do it will only have you in it! He couldn't hope to compare with Sasuke-kun!" she added the last smugly.

Ino looked unsure about how she could answer that before she just settled for a heated look that could melt un-melt-able ice. "You know what, Sakura; I don't give a crap what you think because you're an idiot. Naruto may have been dead last at the academy, but he's pretty cool and actually helps out, what about you. If you're so awesome, how come you can't even hit him?" she asked smugly and amused.

"I can beat the dead last without effort!" she retorted heatedly as she kept swinging punch after punch at him only for him to slid out of the way at the last second. "Stay still you moron!" she demanded, and he obeyed only to catch her latest punch in his left hand, crushing it, she cried out as she fell to her knees in pain.

He then let go with a pitying smile. "Back off Sakura, you couldn't hope to beat me," he said with a shrug. "Well, anyway, Team Ten and I have a mission so Ino and I can't argue with you any longer, so later," he said as he led Ino away while Sakura stayed put on the floor, fuming and rubbing her sore hand.

"That was kind of…" Ino began but trailed off. "If I ever become a loon like that you would tell me, right?"

"Yeah, and I so love girl anger," he replied with a winning smile while she had the decency to blush. "Sorry Ino, but during the academy you made yourself look like a total fool with your 'fan-girl-ism'."

She grimaced as she heard his honesty, and knows that out of all the boys at the academy that he was the only one who would tell her the truth about that. "Sorry if I was a pain. I've changed since then, right?" she asked hopefully.

Naruto smiled at her widely and she was surprise when he took her hand. "Hey, don't worry… the past is important I guess because it makes us… we learn from it, and we can always change our future and became better for it."

"W-when did you become so smart?" she asked as she was surprised her own hand closed in his without any hesitation. He's so kind and honest, he is so different to how she always thought, but before she had never gotten to know him.

"Hey, I've always been smart," he said laughingly. "It's just you accepted everyone else's opinion of me before we even met, so… it's all about belief rather than truth."

"I'm sorry," she replied feeling guilty. "I didn't mean too…"

"Hey, it's OK, come on, let's hurry, Sakura delayed us, we'll be late," he said with a grin while she smiled and allowed him to drag her on.

_**To Be Continued…**_


	5. Knight Stars

_**Mythical Night**_

_**Chapter V**_

_**Knight Stars**_

Naruto and Team 10 had been walking for several hours when they had stopped to set up camp. "OK, let's see now," Asuma said as he looked at the genin. "I'll feel a little better now with four of you. It's better that you learn, watch in teams of two to start, rather than having three, then me, this way we'll get a better sleep. So Ino and Naruto will be one team, and Choji and Shikamaru another, while I'll be by myself. We'll only need to set up two tents this way…"

"You mean three?" Ino asked looking baffled. They had only had a couple of C Rank missions before, and none of Team 10 had been out over-night. So this will be her first.

"No," he replied rolling his eyes. "The tents are all two person, so you should stay in with your guard duty teammate so you don't disturb anyone or have an extra tent up not being used. We have to think logically about how we do this and sensibly, understand?" he asked and she nodded slowly. "I chose Naruto for your teammate because I've noticed you're getting along best, but if I was wrong…"

"No, I'm fine staying with Naruto," she pouted. "But I would rather my own tent," she said as she turned to the boy in question with her mouth hanging open in surprised to see a nice looking black tent set up and ready as well as a fire pit while Naruto had just finished setting it alight while the night was quickly descending on them. "Yep, Naruto's the best," she added as she saw how much he knows about camping.

"Troublesome," Shikamaru muttered while a little upset that Naruto is so much better prepared than him or Choji. It's going to take them ages to set up there's unless Sensei helps them.

"Don't complain just because my partner can set up a tent in seconds," Ino said smirking smugly. However, she didn't know that Naruto's tent just unfolds and pops open, and all he did was peg it down, and his fire pit he had already made and stored in a sealing scroll. He just didn't feel like mentioning that to them. It's their fault if they never thought to buy their own tents and just go with village owned crap.

Asuma sighed, which got their attention. "OK, since Naruto has made their tent first, I'll take first watch after I've helped you two set up tent, then you, Shikamaru, and Choji will take your turn on watch, and last will be Naruto and Ino, OK?"

Ino yawned and nodded her head while sitting with Naruto as the others moved several metres away to set up their tent. She was surprised that Naruto was doing a good job of making them dinner, which made her feel bad for not doing anything and she promised to make him dinner sometime after they've gotten home as a thank you for being so prepared compared to her.

It didn't take long for them to eat the sausages and salad with some juice before she got out her bed roll as Naruto put out the fire, tired and followed Naruto into the cramped tent. They removed shoes or sandals, and in Naruto's case his jacket before climbing into their sleeping bags and getting comfortable.

"Thanks, Naruto," she said smiling as he turned off their torch lantern.

"Hey, it's no problem, Ino," he answered and she was surprised to feel his hand stroke her cheek. However, she was more surprised she let him and felt safe as she drifted off to a peaceful slumber with a smile on her lips.

Naruto's thumb brushed over her lips before he pulled back and snuggled in his sleeping bag with a smile. She isn't bad like he had remembered, but maybe more naïve and in need of some enlightenment. He closed his eyes and was soon drifting off into a world where he will grow stronger.

"Ino…? Ino…!?" Naruto called gently as he shook her awake. She was startled as she looked up at him as the torch was on and she looked up at him, baffled. He smiled. "It's our watch, Ino. I was woken by Shikamaru… he seemed to think if he tried waking you that you might have flayed him."

She rubbed her eyes free of sleep with a sheepish smile. "I might have," she replied with a small laugh. "Well, I guess I've slept long enough," she agreed as he pulled back from hovering over her and she climbed out of her sleeping roll folding it up as Naruto did his. The two then got the rest of their clothes back on, well footwear, jacket, et cetera before climbing out of the tent and passed the two sleepy genin boys. Naruto making sure Ino doesn't kill them for having made her have to get up.

"Come on," Naruto said leading Ino a little from camp and walking up a tree, but stopped on the trunk when he saw Ino wasn't following but just looking at him before he jumped back down with a sigh. "You can't do that, yet?" he asked and she shook her head. "Well, hop on my back and I'll carry you, we'll get best vantage in the trees, OK?"

She looked embarrassed but nodded anyway and let him help her onto his back, and before she realised they were running up the tree and landed on a high thick branch before he let her down and they both sat up against the trunk side by side.

"You know, being a ninja is not what I expected," Ino said after a few moments of silent thought.

Naruto laughed a little as he looked to her. "If you want to just wander off and get captured I'll be right after you, and be your prince, but the truth is while you're waiting for me they'll probably rape and torture you a little, so unless you're into that sort of thing… well if you are just strip and I'll be as gentle or violent as you want."

"N-Naruto," she complained looking worried and embarrassed. "I know it's not all candies and roses, but you don't need to be so brutal about it. I know it may not seem like it but my mother talked about the risks with me before I graduated. Dam, that was embarrassing and, she even suggested that I go out and find a nice boy to, so that I can, you know, give my innocence away rather than have it stolen like that if I ever was capture by filthy dick heads."

Naruto gave a few soft chuckles while she was looking so embarrassed having admitted that to him, and he took her hand holding it. "Hey, not everything is how those morons portray it at the academy, heroes and damsels in distress. It's because of all these so-called genius ninja not wanting to learn all of the boring and true stuff that they skip it, well that's what I think anyway. It's either that or the academy teachers should be fired for incompetence… well they should be anyway for being incompetent morons."

She smiled as she leant up against him holding the arm he held her hand with, tight to herself as she snuggled a little to keep warm in the dark cool night, just listening to some hooting owls for a few nice moments.

"Yeah, I guess they could use some overhauling of the curriculum and stuff if I really have to think about it, now," she answered sheepishly.

"You know, Ino, I had never imagined you would feel so comfortable with me," he said smiling and half expecting her to let go and move away but she didn't, if anything she moved closer if that was possible, and her hand tightened in his.

She just looked at him with a very small shrug. "I guess… I just realised, during the time we've spent together doing missions… well… you're a great guy, Naruto, and you're always helpful, which is more than I can say for the other three… umm… Naruto-kun," she added the suffix surprising him as she tested it out and seemed satisfied, so continued.

"Naruto-kun, I think deep down I've always known Sasuke's a jerk, and that I should look elsewhere… but I was… maybe too invested after all the stupid kid stuff, and Sakura, but the way she acted earlier, and then you telling me I was acting like a fool through the academy…

"I just don't want to be like that. It's a waste when Sasuke isn't worth it… mum always said I shouldn't waste my life because the world is full of so much death and crime that… well… I never really listened until now. I just followed the crowed."

Naruto couldn't help but laugh as he pulled his arm from hers and wrapped it around her shoulders, pulling her into him. She smiled and wrapped her arms around his waist and cuddled up to him feeling warm, safe, and relaxed.

"Thanks for understanding," she said sounding happy. "Don't think this means much… yet… but it does mean I am so getting hugs and maybe some kisses… if you're lucky, and I want to cuddle like this too. It's nice… it's nice to feel warm in your arms, thanks, Naruto-kun."

He first replied by shocking her as he kissed the top of her head. "I guess that's cool, but… you kind of have… well, Hinata-chan and Tenten-chan and…" he sighed sadly.

However, he was surprised to hear her laugh. "Hey, I don't mind as long as I get to spend time with you too… to be honest, I don't mind sharing all that much because it's you I know you'll be good. I kind of expected something like that with Sasuke if I ever got with him, because of the whole resurrecting that jerkoffs clan thing, but… now. I really don't want anything more to do with him or his clan.

"To be honest thinking about it… well over the end of this academy year I was more interested in pissing off Sakura than having him. I guess I just started enjoying making her jealous even though she really didn't have anything to be jealous of."

"Hey, don't…" he began, but trailed off as he tensed up and she quietened as she noticed. He slid from her and stood up looking out over the dark forest of the mountainside. She just sat still and quiet as she watched him scanning the environment below. "Mountain Lion," he spoke quietly as he watched the shadow of the creature stalking closer while she carefully stood with him. "They're the main reason we have guards… unless someone's hunting for us it's normally a fluke that we might get attacked by other ninja or bandits as the forests are so huge, but then it's just the wild animals."

She nodded as she could just make out the animals shape down below, and watched as Naruto threw one kunai, and it sliced through the air, but surprisingly didn't hit the lion, but the ground before it, and scared it off as it ran in the opposite direction to camp.

"You missed," Ino said after a short while, surprised.

He just turned to her with a smile. "I didn't want to kill it. It's only an animal… it's only looking for an easy meal. It most likely wouldn't have eaten one of us, maybe would have just sniffed around and left, but it could have killed or hurt someone. Humans aren't really its diet. I doubt it has ever tasted human blood before. I had no reason to kill it, and even if I were in a scuffle with it, I don't think I would kill it. It could be a mother with some cubs that would die if I killed her."

Ino looked at him in surprise. "I would have never thought about it like that," she said slowly as she managed to wined her way into his arms smirking, holding him tight, her cheeks red. "I like that you would choose the highroad. I don't know what I would have done, but I think I might have hurt it… mainly because I'm a terrible aim with a kunai but also because I wouldn't think ahead."

Naruto smiled at her words as they grew closer, their lips touching they kissed, gently, their eyes closing as they moved with the motion as they held each other. His tongue entered her mouth playing a battle. The taste was nice, exciting, and Ino couldn't help but thread her fingers through his hair while he grabbed her ass, which seemed to cause her tongue to move more fiercely as he pulled her into him.

However, he pulled back breathlessly moments later his right foot snapping up, but was caught by Asuma-sensei as he stood on their branch smirking, the match he had struck to light his cigarette going out with the wind from the force of the kick.

"A-Asuma-sensei, you pervert!" Ino growled out angrily while Naruto pulled his foot back.

He just chuckled with a smile. "Well, at least one of you sensed me," he said with a laugh looking tired. "I've been lying awake since my time was up, and you sensed both the mountain lion and me. The other two didn't sense me even though I had been watching them for a while but I knew you were better than that Naruto. I could tell you weren't as oblivious while we were walking as the others, but I didn't suspect you were such a ladies man."

"Well someone has to be," Naruto retorted, annoyed. "So, this was all a test of our observation skills?"

"Yep," he agreed smirking. "And only you pass. I had been on this tree for a millisecond when you reacted, and while you were so busy too," he added the last causing Ino to turn a dark red but Naruto was unaffected. "Well, anyway, good job, you just got into a fight with an enemy ninja and didn't just lose your head."

"No, you lost yours," Naruto said with a kunai in each hand to Asuma's neck as he stood behind the man while the Naruto in Ino's arms swished away with a small amount of smoke. The sensei's eyes widened as he felt the blades to his throat. "Don't you know interrupting a guy with a beautiful princess is bad luck?"

"I-I'll remember that from now on," he answered nervously as he actually felt the sharp blades nicking his throat. "Dam, I think you win the sneaky student test too," he said as Naruto let him go smirking. "You were fast, and I'm afraid I fell into the trap of underestimation. Just because I'm the jonin does not mean I can't die at the hand of a genin. I hope to remember this, and hope even more that you don't tell anyone."

"Oh, we won't Asuma-sensei," Ino agreed with a smile that turned nasty. "As long as you don't tell anyone either!"

"Deal," he replied sheepishly. "Well, I'll get back to my tent. You two wake us at six AM and we'll continue on our way," he said as he quickly jumped from the tree and went on his way.

Ino couldn't help but laugh. "I can't believe Sensei," she said as Naruto walked back over and wrapped her in his arms smiling.

"Yeah, well, I got him good," he replied smirking. "I've been working on my substitutions and shadow clone summoning, add the two together and I'm a magician with the ultimate disappearing act."

She smiled as she leaned up, her lips kissing his before pulling back. "Well, Marvellous and Mystical Uzumaki-sama, maybe you could have your tongue disappearing back into my mouth. I was enjoying our… session before we were interrupted… way to ruin a girl's first kiss."

Naruto smiled as he leaned down into her lips, pulling her tight to his body, before pulling his lips back. "I think, I can be the greatest sorcerer to have lived if only given the chance," he mumbled as he kissed her some more, his tongue tasting hers. Her tongue sliding into his mouth, and she let him suck on it in his mouth.

He pulled back off her tongue with a smile as their lips pealed apart and their eyes fully opened, looking at each other with smiles. "I think I like your magic," she said as she cuddled into his arms, happy and comfortable.

However, she screeched out as he held her tighter, jumped up, and back off their branch as it suddenly shattered in a rainstorm of splinters. Naruto landed them on another tree and they looked over in surprise, eyes darting all over but they couldn't see anything. However, they could both see from the moonlight that huge claw marks were on the tree trunk.

"N-Naruto, what is it… where is it?" she whispered in his ear, scared while she held onto him tightly. He could actually feel her shaking as she tried to see what attacked them and could shatter such a huge branch like that.

He just shook his head. "I don't know, but whatever it is its big, invisible, on that tree holding on with huge claws, and looking at us while emitting tiny grows that rumble from its chest. I think it wants to eat us," he said staring at the location of the claw marks without blinking or looking away, which made Ino realise it's there.

"Then what should we do?" she shakily asked as she couldn't move her eyes from that spot now either. "We have to wake Sensei and the other two."

"They're already awake, and Sensei is in the tree the other side," he replied without dropping what she could only assume is eye 'contact' with the creature. "It won't attack until it senses and opening… whatever it is isn't just a stupid creature. This one must have waited for us to be distracted before it attacked. I think it has wings because it came from above."

She actually gulped. "T-that… I've never heard of invisible creatures before… well except those lizard ones, but they're not really completely invisible."

"Yeah," he agreed as he pulled her from him. "Ino… Ino-chan, I need to move, OK?" he asked while she nodded and let go of him as he drew a kunai for each hand. Ino flinched as she now heard the growl. "It knows I'm going to fight it… it's kind of fascinating… but I have no choice!"

She watched him with worry as he still stared down the creature with his kunai before he moved. He shot off the branch, and she watched the monsters tree trunk crack and heard a huge roar. Naruto rolled round flew through the air. He stabbed his right kunai, blood splashed from nowhere as the monster roared in pain and she saw it, it flickered from thing to invisible and back again.

It was a dark blue thing like a pit-bull dog, only huge, the size of a horse or cow, and without fur and huge giant black bat like wings, and a huge mouth full of razor sharp teeth. It has four muscular legs with massive claws and dirty grey spikes in a twin rows from its massive head down its muscle-full body to end at the tip of its tail, and even spike like talons on the end of its wings. It was a hideous snarling monster drooling masses of saliva. It has pitch black pit like eyes that seemed to project anger.

Naruto span around with it smashing his second kunai straight into it, more blood spraying with roaring screams. They were coming towards Ino on her branch as Naruto held on and its momentum jerked him from his course. Naruto grabbed its left wing and pulled at it while the monster flickered between there and not, and they veered to the right and crashed into a tree.

Asuma appeared while Naruto was kicked off, landing on the opposite tree trunk standing on the trunk looking up as the monster scratched and clawed, flapping its wings as it tried to stay on the tree in its pain.

Asuma-sensei had both of his large trench knives drawn with wind blades slicing one of the monsters wings off. It screamed while its blood splattered, flickering one last time as it fell from the trunk staying visible as it hit the ground with a huge crash and crunch of bones.

The Sensei finished off landing on the trunk of the tree, taking a deep breath while the creature cried out. He looked to Naruto as he was getting his bearings. "You, OK, Naruto?" he called out getting a quick nod he looked back to the monster as it climbed to its feet growling in anger and pain as it still has two kunai in its torso, left by Naruto.

It went to move when it totally froze. "Shadow Capture, Success!" Shikamaru said as he came out from behind a tree with Choji, a long shadow coming from the boy holding the monster, but it was obvious he was struggling to keep it trapped.

Naruto took the chance with a kunai that hit the monsters head, but the attached exploding note caused it to scream as it blew in fiery death, which made Shikamaru fall back as he lost his hold on the more powerful creature, falling to his butt.

Asuma went in with wind blasting trench knives and the monsters head came off in a gurgle of death and blood as he landed beside it panting for breath. They all watched as the blood ignited and they could only watch as the monster melted away into a puddle of goop. Though, that allowed them all to sigh a great relief.

"OK, we're leaving now," Asuma said taking a few deep breaths. "It's three thirty five," he said looking at his watch. "I say we complete our mission and get back home ASAP. I'm sure the Hokage will want to know that some kind of demon attacked us so that he can warn others. Naruto, I'll clear up your stuff and pack it while you get Ino and both continue to keep watch out. Shikamaru, Choji, start on the other tent and I'll help when I'm done, OK?"

"Yes, Sensei," they all replied as they all went about their jobs.

Naruto was almost knocked out of the tree as Ino near jumped into his arms, her legs wrapped around his waist as he held her, hands on her tight butt, holding onto him tightly. It was a nice welcome, and he could get used to it.

"Do you have to keep surprising me like this, Naruto-kun?" she demanded with worry. "But seriously, what is… was that thing?"

"I'm not too sure," he answered looking down to the goop. "Some kind of demon I suppose. I've never really thought to read about demons or anything. Don't worry, as soon as the others are done, we'll be out of here, finish our mission, and home before you know it."

"OK," she replied smiling as he kissed her lips comfortingly.

Meanwhile Shikamaru looked to their sensei as he had finished fast and came to help them. He had a curious expression in his eyes. "Sensei, how is Naruto doing these things? I saw him and he could see that thing while it was still invisible."

Asuma just shook his head. "He couldn't see it, but he could sense its presence, hear its breathing, and smell its stench even better than me, but once I was close enough so could I. Naruto seems to have better senses than us."

"I see," he replied thoughtfully. "I guess there's a lot we don't know about him. I feel kind of bad for not getting to know him properly, and then I wouldn't find his talent surprising."

Asuma could only nod in agreement. "He's pretty good with sensing things; this probably makes him better than we would think at taijutsu. He has talent, and potential that we were all too ignorant to see, but no matter what, that hard working genin will go far in life no matter who tries to stand in his way."

_**To Be Continued…**_


	6. The Vine Bringer

_**Mythical Night**_

_**Chapter VI**_

_**The Vine Bringer**_

Ino was understandably freaked out after the incident with the monster bat-dog-demon thing so she was keeping real close to Naruto, holding his right arm and hand, fingers interlocked. They walked in the early morning. It's only about eight in the morning and they're looking around for some of the herbs.

"T-there's some," Ino said as she pointed out the pink plants and they all rushed over to inspect the pink flowers, but they looked a little crispy and dry around the edges. "T-they're dying," she said as she dropped to her knees to look them over.

The area they're in is highly lavish with greens and plants of many descriptions and colours, but these plants seem to be the only ones suffering. It was strange with all of the ravaging life around them.

"I… I don't understand why they would be like this," Ino said sadly. "They're useless like this, they're too badly damaged, but… we could see what the hospital thinks," she finished as she picked a few of the dying flowers and places them securely in a zip lock bag before putting them in her kunai pouch.

"I think we should continue looking for some better samples," Asuma replied while looking around. "We don't want to just up and leave without looking for less damaged plants."

"They normally grow in the deserts, so we're probably lucky to get these," Ino said with a sad look. "The only reason they grow here is because it's nice and hot for them and the humidity. I think that the temperature might have dropped too much for them to survive," she said to Naruto while she walked off with him.

He sighed as they walked from the others looking around in the hope of finding some of the plants in good shape. Though they did find some they were even worse than what they have already so they just left them alone as they weren't worth bothering with.

"It looks like we're not going to find anything better short of heading into the desert," Naruto said after several moments of looking as they came to some huge rock formations not sure where the rest of the team got to.

They were about to leave and head back to find the others when they heard little squeaky whistling sound echoing from the rocks. It startled them and Ino was careful to keep close to Naruto as he checked it out. They found a large entrance into the rock formation leading into some dark caves and Ino had to grab Naruto as he was about to crawl in.

"N-Naruto-kun…!" she whispered in reprimanded. "Don't just go into creepy and dark caves. It could be dangerous, and… I don't know. It might have an evil demon in there ready to eat us like the last one."

He looked at her rolling his eyes. "Don't be silly, Ino-chan. I doubt we'll meet another. I hear running into demons is rare at best, so I don't see why we can't investigate. If you're worried Ino-chan I'll look after you, or you could stay here."

She sighed while pouting cutely. "OK, Naruto-kun, I'll come too," she agreed while he smiled brightly and led her into a dark and damp hole in the ground before turning on a torch.

Ino looked around the cavern with wide eyes, as they both have to kneel, as it's too small to stand. It had drips coming from the rocks and it's quite warm. However, she followed Naruto as he started moving in on all fours, so she tried walking like that too, soon realising it allows her to move faster than on her knees and with less pain. They heard the squeaky mew more and louder underground and she couldn't help but feel sorry for whatever creature it is as it sounded like crying.

They carried on further, turning bends and tight, down and up, and down again, squeezes that they could just squeeze through with Naruto's help pulling her through. She knows her clothes are now filthy and a little torn, but she can deal with that as Naruto had just helped her through another tight fit. She couldn't help but feel amazed as at certain points he had actually broken solid rock to help them get through.

"What kind of creature is it?" Ino asked worriedly as she could hear it more, the further they got to it. It was such a sad sound that she just hopes whatever it is will be OK once they save it. Well, she hopes they're travelling to save it. It's like its calling out and she can't help herself but feel the need to protect it.

"Do you feel it's cries too?" Naruto asked after what might have been hours. "I feel like its begging for help, but I don't quite get how."

"Yeah," she replied, worried, as they had to crawl on their tummies the ceiling was that low and she was feeling a little claustrophobic and talking was a good way to take her mind off it. "I think it's like… a young… girl maybe… she's in pain, and I know we have to rescue her, but why would any creature come down here?"

"We're down here aren't we?" he asked sounding amused. "Just hope I don't freak out as I'm having trouble. It's so narrow. I've not been in such confined spaces before. It feels awful, but… shit, yeah, look… up ahead… it seems to be an opening. I can feel a light breeze and smell some fresher air… umm… no offence by I could only smell water and us before. Though, I do love your scent. It's nice, strong… appealing."

"I'm not sure whether to be insulted or not," she said with a small laugh as they both continued slithering inch by inch. "How much further is it then?" she asked as it was squeezing her chest and for once in her life she was grateful that her breasts aren't very big yet.

"Maybe about twenty metres or so, not much more," he replied, mumbling, as he dragged himself by his fingers with his torch held in his mouth causing him to drool a lot. "That's quite the way when we're as jammed as we are, but it's an open cavern, and from the air seems large, and I can smell a large body of water."

"Good… Naruto-kun… can I ask you a favour?" she asked as she struggled on behind him only dragging herself with her hands and fingers.

"S-sure go ahead, Ino-chan," he agreed too tired and cold to joke about her question to ask a question being a question like he probably would have at other times.

"W-will you help me get stronger?" she asked as she tried to ignore the cuts slicing her skin from a few sharp stones of the rocks they're squeezing through. "Please… I was useless when that demon thing attacked us, and… I don't know how to train apart from the training from sensei, and my parents, but that isn't anywhere good enough for situations like this or that monster. I think… I know I need help, please."

"Sure… but just keep this a secret, OK?" he asked and she looked up in confusion to see him stop and looking knew he couldn't move anymore as she felt barely able to herself. She started to panic as she realised they're going to die down in the ground, buried alive.

However, she was startled as Naruto screamed out such panic that her eyes widened as his body bust with crimson chakra as he struggle to move and the ground started shaking. She knew he was panicking but didn't know what the deal with the red chakra was. She screamed out his name trying to get him to calm down, but it just made things worse as he pushed himself up and she could only watch in awe.

The rock trapping him was melting under his power, and then he moved smashing through the rock on hands and feet running with a roar so chilling it sent a chill down her spine before he yelped and disappeared with a splash leaving her in the dark and tight tunnel.

She had no choice but to move forward. She felt the plastic of the broken torch as the tunnel opened up from where Naruto had showed her a glimpse of his true power. She could breathe easier but she was now worried about her partner no matter what kind of terrifying power he has she doesn't care about that, she cares about him though. He's still a nice person, and kind, and a brilliant kisser, not that she has any experience kissing, she just knows.

She came to the tunnels exit pretty quick and looked out into a huge cavern, which has a soft dim-blue glow over it as she looked down into a deep and dark lake bellow. She couldn't tell where Naruto is as the red chakra had disappeared so she flopped in with a screech and a splash.

"Ino…?"

She was startled as she felt him hold her as she broke up through the surface of the water, and could just make out his face in the cold water as he assisted her swimming.

"Naruto-kun," she said holding onto him with a big hug. "I was so worried, but what happened… what was that power you used…? Where did it come from? It actually melted the solid rock."

"I… I really didn't want to use it," he said and she could tell he looked sad. "It's more of a last resort though… it was the diluted power of Kyuubi no Yoko!" he said causing her to gasp, but he was surprised she didn't let go. "I'm the Kyuubi's prison… the sacrifice, and Minato Namikaze best hope he stays dead or I'm so kicking his ass!"

"N-no way, but that means… you… you're…" she just didn't know what to say, but he felt it was better to be straight up about where the power comes from so she knows the seriousness. "So, that does explain a lot but maybe we should deal with trying to find shore…?"

"Agreed," he answered as they helped each other swim and crawl up onto shore of the dark cavern where they looked for the source of the blue light.

They were soaking wet when they saw some kind of blue sphere floating in the air with some kind of rose red coloured ferrets floating in it. They couldn't hear the continued pleas from an animal but they knew it was from… it.

"W-what's got it, Naruto-kun…?" Ino was quick to ask in worry.

He couldn't help but look to her, surprised. "Y-you don't hate me like everyone else?" he asked, seeing her in a completely new and brighter light. He's sure Hinata and Tenten would take the news well, but would never have been sure about Ino.

"I wouldn't hate you for something like that," she answered as she flung herself into his arms. "I mean, you were starting to be really cool, but this just pushes you over the top. If anyone has a problem with you, I don't care. If you didn't have the Kyuubi's power we would be dead; or dying really really slowly."

"T-thanks," he replied, relieved as he accepted her kiss with his own. "So let's find a way to get that… whatever it is down," he said looking at it in wonder as he pulled away from Ino and walked towards it before flipping left, and then back twice as a huge green vine slapped out of the rocky dirt ground, and chased him. He had to move faster just to dodge.

"N-Naruto-kun…!" Ino called before another vine burst out of the ground and almost speared her, but she managed to dodge back, near falling. "What's going on…?" she demanded as she watched in shock as Naruto got captured in another vine as it wrapped around him, trying to squeeze the life out of him.

"I… don't… know!" he cried out as he tried to tear the vines from him as she could just barely dodge the vine after her when he forced in a deep breath and spat out a huge ball of fire. The vines seemed to screech as they withered and dropped him to his hands and knees breathing deeply as his ribs felt sore and bruised.

"S-shit," he said as his flames went out and he jumped back and skidded out of the way of the vines, but he had noticed the flash of light and whimper from the creature in the sphere just before the vines attacked.

"I… Ino, I'll take care of the vines, you try to free the… whatever it is!" he called out as he dodged into the path of her vine and surprisingly taking its attention as it attacked him too. "I… I think that creature controls the vines, but whatever made that sphere is using its power, so free it and they'll stop!"

"B-but how, I don't know…!" she cried out as she watched him weave between vines as he charged the sphere only for some huge rose bushes to burst up through the rocks and blocking his path, which caused him to flip backwards and skid out of the way of a vine.

"I don't know, just do something!" he cried out as he barely missed losing his life as the vine he avoided shattered rock rather than him.

Ino grimaced as she watched him take a hit to his side before cutting it with a kunai before getting free. She looked to the rose bushes and charged, hopping out of the way of a new vine, but that chased Naruto seconds later as he got in its way. She didn't know what she could possibly do, it was a nightmare situation.

She made it to the bushes and hit into them cutting up her clothes and flesh, she creamed out as she tried to force herself through. "PLEASE! DAM PLEASE! I have to save Naruto-kun. I have to save you!"

Nothing seemed to do anything for a moment when the vines and bushes bust into leaves freeing them. Ino fell to the ground painfully as she looked up to see the little creature struggling in the bubble, its bright green eyes open and glowing before the bubble burst. It squeaked as it struggled while it fell towards the ground and she pushed herself up, running to catch it she skidded across the ground, the little red fluffy creature landing on her as she came to a stop, holding it.

"Shh, shh… it's OK, girl," Ino said as she cuddled the creature while it squeaked in panic, shaking in fear. "It's OK, it's OK," she said getting the small and soft thing to calm down to a soft purring as she stroked her soft fur.

"You OK?" Naruto asked as he stood over her with a bloody face and a huge slash over his chest, slashed through his tee shirt, and blood dripping down his right arm under his sleeve.

She nodded as she stood up with her new purring little friend. "I think so, I just…" she looked down at the creature as it snuggled. "I don't know…!" she said before looking back up at him and gasping as she looked at the state he's in completely oblivious to the ember of orange flame he's holding in his cupped hands.

"N-Naruto-kun, are you, OK, you're hurt," she said in worry as she looked him over. "We should try to get out of here and get you some bandages."

"I'll be Ok," he said looking himself over after a couple of moments of confusion, chuckling. "I heal really fast. The damage to my arm and chest have already clotted and started regenerating. It's a benefit and side effect of being a warden to one of the most powerful beings on the planet, but it means I have to work harder, especial with chakra control since I have so much chakra."

"Oh, OK," she replied calming down with a few deep breaths as she realised Naruto isn't as bad as she thought. "T-then how do we get out of here…? This place is huge and dark…"

She almost fell over in shock as her little red furred creature bust into multi-coloured-green sparks and flew up lighting the cave she had turned into a fairy like creature with milky white skin. She has large black forest green eyes and a tiny little nose and mouth with long pointy ears up the side of her head with the tips a little higher. Her dark red hair is short and ruffles, but long on top in an array of messy spikes.

The little fairy has duel transparent wings on either side of her back. Her wings are like a rainbow of greens with the edges tinted with some red. She's only about nine or so inches tall and she's wearing a red dress that looks like it was made from rose petals to hide her tiny body. She was glowing with green sparks of multiple different shades of green, lightning the cavern enough that Naruto snuffed out his flames.

"Wow," Ino muttered, awed. "I can't believe it, she's so adorable," she said which surprisingly made the fairy girls little cheeks blush. "What's your name…?" she asked but the little thing just looked confused. "I know," she added as she looked around at the huge vines. "I'll call you, Vine, do you like that?" she asked and smiled as the little fairy nodded her head valiantly.

"OK, so how do we get out of here?" Naruto asked the little thing. The fairy looked to him, and giggled as she flew close to his face and poked his nose before gesturing for them to follow her, so they had little choice if they want to get out some time today.

They followed closely as they need her for light… well Ino needs her for light as Naruto can practically see in the dark. The passageways were surprisingly large compared to how they got in but needed a lot of climbing. However, once they reached a steep wall without any grips to get them up Ino was stuck.

However, Naruto smirked. "OK, so I guess we should start with teaching you how to walk up walls," he said while she grimaced and her little fairy friend found a place to sit and watch while Naruto made a couple small fires to see better with.

"R-right now…?" she asked nervously as she looked to the solid floor. "If I fall it will hurt…"

Naruto came up behind her and stroked his hands down her sides and around her stomach in a hug. "Don't think too much about it, but remember, walking up a wall is easier than a tree, but it's still about the right amount of chakra in your feet. I'm sure you can get it right real quick."

"O-Ok," she replied as he stepped back letting her go and he watched her go at it. In the time it actually took her to get to the top he had to catch her only three times or risk her getting brain damage when she lands on her head, but he was quite proud she had gotten so well in just an hour, but she doesn't have much chakra to control.

Vine followed her up with Naruto bringing the rear before they carried on their way. "I can smell fresh air," Naruto said after several more minutes of walking when they tuned a few more corners where they finally saw daylight through a fissure in the side of the mountain and they were blinking the bright light from their eyes as they stepped outside.

"Oh no," Ino said sadly as they had stepped out into a field of dying pink flowers.

However, when her little pixie landed on her shoulder, turning back into her cute little ferrite form a radius bomb of green sparkles shot out in all directions around them and they could only stare with mouths hanging open as it didn't just revive the herbs but made them grow twice as big.

Ino giggled as she petted Vine's head and picked enough of the flowers, a few for her and the rest for the hospital. "You're great, Vine… I hope mum and dad don't mind me bringing you home," she said as she put her pick away while the little creature looked very happy and pleased with herself.

"Umm… Ino, you're not supposed to keep Nature Spirits as pets," Naruto said but she just gave him a pouty look. "OK, OK, just, make sure to keep her true form a secret or you might have to be on constant guard for kidnap attempts, and trust me when I say it will be from the council. Those old bastards only think about themselves, the power they have and how much more they can get."

"Don't worry, I won't let them find out," she said rolling her eyes.

"Naruto, Ino!"

They turned to see Asuma and the other two staring at them, as they're filthy, wet and cut up, and in Naruto's case covered in blood. However, they were surprised to see that they were all cut up and a mess too.

"Giant vines?" Asuma asked and they nodded. "They just stopped about an hour ago, so I'll assume that was you two?"

"Yeah, that was pretty hectic," Ino agreed with a tied sigh. "Oh, what's that…?" she asked looking to see their sensei was holding some kind of long black whip that switched to red halfway, the tip real thin and a bright dangerous red.

She didn't really think about why he was holding it with some sticks and just snatched it off him and looked it over. It was odd and long, feeling like a plant and leather all in one go if you could believe that. She looked closer to see half hand in length is a sectioned scale running from thick to thin at the tip with a light green wrapping around the handle, and on the end of the handle is a knot with a closed red rose, elongated in the same material as the whip on a green stem.

"Wow, this is pretty neat," she said giving it a test swing, the other three moving back looking terrified as it swished out with a huge crack. "Where'd you get it, Sensei?" she asked him as she rolled it up into a manageable state.

"Umm… it's all yours if you want it," he said nervously. "That thing won't let us touch it."

"Huh?"

"It tried strangling us to death," Choji said as he pulled out a bag of crisps from heck knows where and started eating. "Those vine things seem to be guarding it, and when they stopped and we grabbed it, it attacked us."

"Oh," she said looking to Naruto for him to shrug and take it off her. "It doesn't attack Naruto-kun," she said confused as she took it back and gave it to Asuma only to have to struggle to get it back as it went to strangle him again, but when she touched it to him while holding it, it left him alone.

"Wow, I guess it doesn't like you guys," Naruto said laughing at them. "Well, maybe we should get out of here and never speak of this dodged up mission again!"

"Deal," they all said in unison as he led the way down the mountain.

"Ino, where did you find that ferret?" Asuma asked while he watched the girl put the whip on her right hip for easy access.

"Oh, she followed me home."

"But we're not home yet," he replied as he looked at it. "And it's ridding on your shoulder."

"Well, that's what I'm telling mum and dad, so shut up!"

_**To Be Continued… **_


	7. Renewed Dawn

_**Mythical Night**_

_**Chapter VII**_

_**Renewed Dawn**_

It had been quite the uneventful trip back to Konoha where none of Team 10 plus Naruto cared to camp out again so they just hurried back to the village through the night. Though, it was made up for by the odd talk with the Hokage about their mission getting highjacked, but at least Ino offered up the herbs she collected so the mission wasn't a failure.

The Hokage had been pleased with the outcomes and upgraded the mission from C to B after Naruto quickly made up an underground adventure to put what really happened to shame. He doesn't want to put the Hokage in a position where he has to lie to the council to protect Vine from them.

Ino had been quite surprised initially but was quick to go into lie mode, which is a speciality for getting out of trouble with her father, and he works T and I so she's grown accustomed to making it look good, even though she just agreed with Naruto's story, she has to pay attention so she remembers it.

They were then dismissed, leaving the old man and Asuma alone to talk in private. "So, you believe Naruto's storytelling, or do you think he exaggerated a little?" Asuma asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Come on, we've all embellished the truth here and there," the old man replied smilingly. "If we didn't most of our adventures wouldn't be nearly as fun to tell, or listen too. It's more these demons that we should worry about more than a little overstatement. I've had some other teams either reporting second-hand sightings, or seeing them there selves, but you're the only team attacked…

"I don't think we should start worrying yet… we all know that monsters walk the Earth, just they've not been this active in a while since the villages were established. If you sight any near any human settlement, I want them exterminated. I've given this order to all my most loyal ninja. I'm trying to keep the council ignorant so they don't spread the knowledge around the village and start a needless panic.

"I'm setting up a team to investigate the matter on the down low. I want you to keep watch out encase. It's probably nothing, maybe a migration and things just need to settle down, but there's always the possibility of something worse."

"Yeah, I got it," he replied as he lit a cigarette now the smoking-police have left. "Hope for the best, but prepare for the worse."

Naruto gave Ino a quick, but searing kiss as he left her at her house before rushing back home to get to bed as he's exhausted. Ino smiled as she turned to go inside when she was startled that the door was open and her brown haired mother stood in the doorway with a teasing grin in place.

"So, you finally decided that the Uchiha… boy," she said his name with loathing as she always did, as she doesn't like Uchiha's, though, Ino hadn't asked why, she's now a little curious. "Isn't worth your time," she finished off before continuing. "It seems that you've finally found a nice boy who will treat you the way you deserve."

"I… I thought you would hate him more than, Sasuke?" she asked looking confused as she was led into the empty flower shop.

"Y-you know…?" her mother asked in shock.

Ino just shrugged. "He kind of told me. It doesn't matter to me. Heck, he's my hero. He saved my life several times before he told me. Our mission went a little haywire, but I can't tell you why, or even talk about why with people who say they know. Its S Ranked Confidential…"

"I understand," she replied teary-eyed as she hugged her daughter. "Not even a chunin yet and already holding confidential secrets from her mother. Oh Ino, I'm so proud, and then kissing a nice good boy who looks out for you, I couldn't be prouder!" she said as she pulled back wiping her eyes dry.

"Squeak…!" Vine interrupted startling Ino's mother as she looked to the cute little thing with hearts in her eyes.

"Ino, it's so cute, but you know your dad says no pets," she cried out as she pulled it into her arms petting it while it purred. "Did you name it yet?"

"Umm… yeah, her names Vine," Ino replied with a grin. "She, err, followed me home and well… don't worry about dad. She has some cool tricks so she can be like… you know like my animal partner. Kiba-baka has a dog, so I can have Vine."

"I don't know dear, what can she possibly…" she trailed off as the ferret jumped out of her arms and landed next to a freshly seeded plant pot when her green eyes lit up and the seed grew before their eyes up into a small bonsai tree causing Ino's mothers jaw to drop in shock. "I see, so… she makes plants grow," she muttered before squealing in happiness and hugging the creature more.

"No mum," Ino said pulling her new partner away from her. "You are not using her to make all of the seeds grow," she said causing her mother to pout.

"OK, OK, but that's incredible," she said shaking her head in awe. "But what's with that whip? Are you finally going to branch out into some new arts?"

"Umm… yeah, my whip was with Vine-chan," she agreed smiling at her mother's crazy antics with a shake of her head. "But right now I stink, and haven't slept in about thirty five hours. So I'm going to take a quick shower, wash Vine-chan and then we'll be going to bed," she said as she took her partner and headed out of the shop through the back door into the house.

She watched her daughter go with a smile. It would have been nice to have the little ferret helping things grow around the shop, but Ino did find her, so she's Ino's pet and not hers. She can't even have a normal pet because of her husband's allergies to fur. She just hopes he doesn't kick up a fuss about adorable little Vine.

It was a lovely morning for Naruto as he walked around his apartment with just a towel as he dried off from a lovely cool shower and entered his living room. He had left his change of clothes on his only seat, a comfortable three-person couch with a lamp on a side table and a coffee table with just a few magazines dumped on it when the doorbell rang.

He sighed as it's pretty uncommon for anyone to come to his home. It isn't like he has much furniture since he is barely in and doesn't entertain so he never cared to get anything more. Shaking his head clear he went to the front door that leads out from the lounge after wrapping his fluffy blue towel around his waist.

"Ten-chan?" he questioned as he opened the door to see her looking angry with a katana in each hand, and both with some blood on, and a bruise forming on her right cheek. "I told you I live in a dangerous neighbourhood," he said as he stepped aside, letting her in before closing and locking the door.

"Fucking filth got away!" she hissed out angrily. "I'm afraid I wasn't paying attention when I was walking passed, and this huge stupid looking bald douche just hit me. I think they shit themselves when I didn't go down and summoned these swords from my scroll. They didn't see my headband."

"I see… I know the fuck you're talking about," he replied while she suddenly went red faced as she realised what he's not wearing, her heart pounding painfully in her chest. "He's involved with the local drug peddling fucks. He's practically the bodyguard for this shrimp little prick whose father owns a brothel!"

She was surprised as she had never seen Naruto looking so angry before. In fact, she can't ever remember seeing him angry. He's always been so kind, but this new thing is working for her, the growl that rolls from his chest and off his tongue made her quiver and feel weak in the knees.

"Why don't we go and arrest them then?" she asked after a few moments admiring his solid chest and abs and trying to not show she was starring. "If they're criminals, and we're Konoha Ninja we can do that right?"

"Unfortunately not," he replied shrugging his shoulders. "They're too well connected. If anything, it would get us put in jail. The old man just isn't strong enough to fight against the corruption as well as protecting his ninja from the corrupt using them for their own gains."

"Can't we just kill them?" she asked reasonably.

He just shook his head. "No… the criminals deserve worse. They need to be paraded before all to see… to show everyone else that we will not tolerate fucks like them. Death is the easy way out."

"Yeah… yeah that's true," she agreed feeling humbled to see Naruto so passionate about justice. She's not sure she's met anyone that really does want to help people, except maybe Lee, but he's too stupid and by the book to do anything behind the villages back like Naruto would.

"Well, anyway, I have some ice in the freezer if you want," he said with his smile back. "Let me get dressed and we can get out of here and find something to do?"

"I'm fine, and I'm good hanging out here for a while," she said with a sheepish looking smile as she placed her swords on the coffee table. "I'm actually hiding from my team and yours. They teamed up for some stupid team exercises. Though, I don't think Kakashi really wanted too. He apparently wants his precious Uchiha to get some experience with other teams, or something like that but I think he really lost a bet with Gai-sensei."

"I still can't believe I'm getting away with not turning up to meetings," he replied with a laugh as he grabbed his boxers but paused as he saw her watching him, red checked as she realised he had almost changed in front of her.

She then went wide-eyed as he just dropped his towel smirking as she saw it for a few moments before he pulled on his boxers. "Hey, don't stare if you don't want to see," he said laughingly while she was crimson. "You want another look? I don't mind at all," he said while she just stuttered at a loss as he continued dressing.

"I… I can't believe you just did that," she suddenly gasped out a few minutes later as he sat to tie his boots, leaving his jacket off. "It's so b… umm… I mean… wow, it's no wonder you don't have anything to be embarrassed about."

He grinned as he stood up and stretched. "So… I have no entertainment unless you want to make out or something…?"

Tenten was still blushing, but she moved closer, and into his arms; she wrapped her arms around his neck, she stood on tiptoes while he leaned down, their lips touching in a soft kiss when there was a loud bang on the door.

Naruto groaned as he pulled away. "Dam, I never get visitors… and…" he moaned as he went to the door when he paused as he took a deep breath. "It's Lee, and oh god… Sakura, how the hell do they know I live here?"

"I don't know," she replied in annoyance, as she was just getting comfortable. "Maybe if we ignore them they'll think you're out and go away," she suggested as they heard some more banging.

"We know you're in there, Tenten, and you too Naruto!" Sakura yelled angrily from the other side. "Open this door now!" she demanded banging on it loudly.

Naruto growled as he tore the door open and glared. "What the fuck do you want Sakura. If you continue this shit on my front door again, I'll henge into you and declare your undying love for sucking the shit out of Sasuke's ass!"

She just glared at him while Lee, the bowler haired boy looked worried. "Shut up, moron, you wouldn't have the guts! You're supposed to be with our team, not here with this slut!"

Naruto and Lee both gulped and took steps back away while Sakura continued. "After all, only a slut would ever want a weak and crap Dead Last like you for a boyfriend like her, Hinata and now Ino too! It's pathetic!"

"Dead girl, say what!?" Tenten suddenly growled out, which caused Sakura to look at her smugly. "This coming from the girl who throws herself at that duck-butt Uchiha, and then he doesn't even look… a weakling like you. You really don't have a clue how out classed you are compared to me!"

She snorted rudely and looked even smugger. "I'm on Sasuke-kuns team because I'm strong while Naruto gets the honour because he's weak and needs protecting."

"Wow, someone's delusional," Tenten retorted with a sneer. "You are probably the weakest kunoichi in all of Konoha and I can admit that Naruto-kun is stronger than me. If he got serious while we spar, I'm afraid I wouldn't stand a chance, he's too fast. It's because of our spars that I've learnt where I need to improve, but you, you don't have a clue do you. You don't train and your sensei doesn't care to train you so just get lost!"

"I'll show you, BITCH!" she roared out with a kunai in hand. "I'll kick your…!" she stopped suddenly as Tenten had moved under her swing and crashed her right fist into her stomach causing her to bend over coughing up blood as she dropped her weapon.

"I don't give a shit about your sick fantasies of grander!" she growled out. "You've got to stop running off at the mouth about shit you don't understand, and get lost. If you don't get a clue and stay away from Naruto-kun they'll be finding pieces of you all over Konoha for years to come."

Tenten's right foot then span up and smashed Sakura back out of the door up against the outside wall. She fell down it whimpering and crying with bloody lips, shaking and scared as her teary green eyes looked up shaking.

"Come on, Ten-chan, let's go find somewhere else to hang out and escort this bitch out before she gets stupid again," Naruto said with a smirk while she nodded and grabbed her swords, sealing them away before closing the door behind her. Naruto locked up before turning to Sakura as she was shaking and crying while Lee just stared, unsure what to do.

He then surprised them as Sakura screeched as Naruto grabbed one of her feet, and started dragging her while she screamed and cried more. She was even trying to kick him with her free foot but each time she missed. He even dragged her down the stairs hitting her head every so often. Lee looked like he wanted to stop it but he just followed feeling sorry for her no doubt.

Tenten was just watching with a grin as the so-called strong girl was getting humiliated and totally defeated by the 'weak' Dead Last. He didn't let go of her until they were outside his properties gates where she was crying and terrified.

Naruto then picked her up and threw her over his left shoulder, and she just let him. She didn't try fighting anymore. She was weak and completely defeated. She may have wanted to but she just couldn't, she just continued sobbing.

"So, where'd you want to go, Ten-chan?" he asked her as they were walking off into town… well Naruto was acting as if nothing was out of the ordinary.

She smiled at him and tried not to laugh. "I don't know; what are you going to do with her?" she asked surprised as Sakura just cried harder as she was mentioned but still didn't try escaping.

"I don't know where she lives," he replied thoughtfully. "But I suppose we can just take her out of here and dump her in town?" he suggested reasonably. "Then we can go hang out somewhere, and get something to eat?"

"Sounds like a plan to me, or we could just dump her on, Lee?"

"Great idea," he agreed as he near threw her at the surprised green spandex kid. "Lee, don't leave her here, just take her home or something, but a word to the wise. I've met her mother a few times before, so I suggest just dumping her on the doorstep, knocking and running away. Thanks, Lee, later, dude," he finished as he took Tenten's hand and they disappeared in a swirl of leaves.

Lee just looked at the pink-haired girl in surprise. He had been crushing over her, but seeing the way she acted in someone else's home no less put him right off. If he weren't such a nice guy he might have left her here to her own so-called strong self. However, he is a nice guy, and nice guys don't leave weak, defenceless girls in this district, even this late in the morning.

Naruto and Tenten were walking hand in hand, as they looked for a place to grab an early lunch, or late breakfast when they noticed something weird.

"Is that rock following us?" Tenten asked with a tick on her forehead at how lame that 'disguise' is.

"Yeah," he replied as they stopped and turned back with a smirk. "Hang on Ten-chan, I'm just going to take a pee since nobodies around," he said smilingly as he let her hand go and she tried not to giggle as she had seen the rock move and turn into a piece of the fence they were walking by.

He walked up to the fence and undid his zipper, and had near pulled out when a girl screamed and pulled down the tarpaulin camouflage sheet. The two near ten-year-old boys and girl hid behind. The ginger haired girl was blushing brightly while Naruto laughed with Tenten as he done his zip back up.

"Who are they?" Tenten asked giggling. "Because that was some seriously bad stealth… you should take some lessons from Naruto if you want to sneak around," she said causing them even more embarrassment.

Naruto sighed and rubbed his forehead. "This is Konohamaru, the old man's grandson," he said pointing to the boy with overly long scarf and goggles on his forehead, and mocking the word grandson. "And then we have, Udon," he added pointing to the other boy with glasses and a snotty nose, also sporting some goggles on his forehead. "And last but certainly not least, this is, Moegi," he said pointing to the still blushing ginger haired girl who has her long, full hair tied up in two towers at slight outward angles. She's also wearing some goggles as they're like their little gang symbol now.

"Nice to meet you," she said with a smile. "I'm Tenten," she introduced herself. "Well, aren't you kids cute playing ninja?"

"We're not kids," Konohamaru declared glaring at her. "Who are you to Naruto-nii-san anyway? Are you his girlfriend or something, you were holding hands, we saw you?" he said teasingly.

"Possibly," she replied with a smirk causing him and Moegi to pout but the other boy didn't seem that interested as he wiped his nose on his sleeve. "But why were you very badly following us…? Did you guys want something?"

"Oh, right," Konohamaru said as if he had forgotten until now, he turned to Naruto. "Onii, play ninja with us!" he begged hopefully.

"I… umm… don't have time guys," he said nervously while Tenten looked at him in amusement. "Ten-chan and I were going to get something to eat."

"Please, Naruto-nii-chan!" Moegi suddenly asked while pulling on his arm with pouting lips and bubbly eyes. "Come and play with us… Tenten-san can come and play too."

"Aww, how can you refuse that," Tenten said with a grin. "Come on Naru-kun, we can grab something to go. It might be fun playing around for a change."

Naruto sighed in defeat. "OK, OK," he agreed, which brightened his younger friends. "Well, is there a sandwich shop or something near here? I haven't eaten all day, my treat."

"Yeah, just around the corner is a burger place," Moegi agreed as she went to lead them on holding Naruto's hand as she was leading them when a swirl of leaves stopped them as Kakashi and Gai appeared, the one eyed sensei glaring right at Naruto.

"Naruto Uzumaki, for the assault on a teammate…!"

Kakashi was interrupted by Tenten's snort. "That's odd because I was the one who beat that weakling up," she said with a glare. "Perhaps if she didn't go to my friends home and start trouble I wouldn't have. She might have even stood a chance when she attacked me if you actually trained her!"

"I am your superior officer!" he growled as he stepped forward only for Gai to step in too to stop him with a glare at his 'rival' while Naruto grinned secretly.

"Oh, Kakashi-kun…!"

The feminine voice called from behind and he spun round to look, his eyes near popping out of his head to see three young and supply girls with nice sized busts sopping wet and just wearing skimpy pink towels to hide their assets, just barely. They all have red hair of different shades and green eyes, each girl a different height and size but its certain they're sisters, and looked both sad, worried and sexy all at once.

"Please, Kakashi-kun!" the youngest looking called out in a panic. "We were bathing together when we thought we heard the door knock, but it seems like it was just some punk kids playing games, and now we got locked out with only our towels to cover our sopping and suds covered bodies."

"Oh, please Kakashi-kun, can't you please help us!?"

"Oh yes, Kakashi-kun!"

"We'll do anything, please!"

"You'll be our hero!"

"We're begging you, Kakashi-kun!"

"W-well, which one is y-your house?" he asked just as Gai's nose exploded with blood and he passed out.

"It's this one, Kakashi-kun," the oldest said with a radiant smile as she pointed to the window of the house they're next too. "Look, Kakashi-kun, we left the bathroom window open enough, I'm sure you'll be able to get in through there," she said gesturing the frosted window.

"OK, girls, just hang on, OK?" he said with an eye-smile having forgotten about Naruto and Tenten and any punishment he might have thought (wrongfully) they deserved.

"Yes, Kakashi-kun!" they chimed out dreamily with sparkles and hearts in their eyes as he puffed out his chest in glee before jumping up to the window and pulling it open.

However, he wasn't expecting the huge fat and bald old woman scrubbing herself in the tub that her fat ripples and giant saggy boobs just didn't fit, and the soap suds had all disappeared leaving nothing for his nightmares to put together.

She looked at him, as he looked at her, his face going green before. "PERVERT…!"

Kakashi had never been hit as hard as he went flying from the window, blazing across the sky with a trial of blood, and out of sight while the others saw the bathing woman's face as she slammed her window closed.

The three sisters were in hysterics with Naruto before they swished away with little whips of smoke. "Oh, dam, that was awesome… what a gullible douche," Naruto said laughing more with his three little younger friends… well, Moegi and Konohamaru.

"Y-you mean those sisters were henged shadow clones of you?" Tenten asked in awe while he nodded. "Heck, Naruto you're dangerous, and that's using tricks. I can't believe he was so easily tricked. He's a jonin, or at least supposed to be. Though, I'll admit even I was convinced. It's odd, those, girls… well… and the whole thing looked so solid."

"It is," he replied smirking as he turned to the giggling academy students not noticing her look of complete disbelief. "So, let's go get some burgers, and then we'll go play, OK?"

"OK!" they replied as they led the way and Naruto pulled a thoughtful Tenten along with them while she wants to test out whether he can really make transformations that solid. She'll have to deal with that later though as she's a little hungry too.

_**To Be Continued… **_


	8. Myth in the Night

_**Mythical Night**_

_**Chapter VIII**_

_**Myth in the Night**_

"Man, hurry up, I don't want to stay out any longer than I have to!"

There were three men standing in a dark shabby looking doorway in the middle of the night, two of them dishing him out a small portion of a rock in a little baggy while he looked shifty and worried as he handed them their payment.

"What's got you so jumpy?" one of the other men asked looking confused. "It isn't like anything will happen to us."

"Y-you haven't heard?" he asked even more worried now. "Someone took down some other dealers during the week. I'm freaking crept out…"

"Oh yeah, I heard about that," one interrupted rolling his eyes. "They got off free yesterday…"

"And they died hours later in that 'mysterious' explosion," he replied panicked. This news actually concerned them a little but they're not going to worry too much as it could be bad for business. "They say there's a hunter in Greyland," he stuttered out, this district having been nicknamed for its crime rates and the lack of Konoha caring. "He's coming for us, I'm out of here!" he said running out of the doorway and round the corner.

"Dam pussy doesn't have a clue," the larger of the two laughed out. "Come on, let's get back. I want to grab a drink with a bitch to slick up my dick."

They laughed as they headed out around the corner before they paused, eyes widening as they almost tripped over the squirming form of their 'client'. He's bound and gagged in a wire net that let off a few sparks lightening the dark of night. Holding the man from rolling around the floor are dark green darts that looked like they had been part of a whole with four pronged clips buried to make sure he couldn't get away.

"S-shit!" the larger man said as he pulled out a large hunting knife. "Maybe there's more to this than…" he looked around as his smaller ally screamed as something swished by and he was suddenly twisted in steel cables hanging between the ground and over hang over a vacant shop, some drops of blood dripped showing how tight he's trapped while he struggled in panic, crying and whimpering in pain.

"W-whoever you are, show yourself coward!" he called out in anger. The irony that he and he gang pick on defenceless people ten to one didn't seem to occur to him. His eyes were darting around the dark street looking for his attacker but could only spook himself when the shadows seemed to shift. "D-do you think that we'll stay in jail… we have some powerful friends!"

"Then!" he was terrified and wet himself as the hushed and gravely whisper was in his ear. "You'll have forfeited your life… one chance for justice before I'm your judge, jury, and executioner, no more!"

He spun around but nobody was behind him, but he looked around frantically before something exploded in front of him, smashing him into the side of a wall before a green-feathered arrow entered his left shoulder and bunt up with his screams as a huge field of electricity burst through his body before stopping and he passed out.

It wasn't a good morning for the Hokage as he was at a council meeting with these fools and didn't know what to do, yet, but it will come to him. He often wondered whether his ninja would let him go on a murderous spree and slaughter the civilian council. Though, thinking about it, maybe he's the only reason they haven't done it themselves, he sighed.

"Hokage-sama, whoever this menace is has to be stopped and quick!" an annoying council member cried out in rage. "He's attacking upstanding citizens and then dumping them in T and I. Then when they're rightfully released he kills them."

They were interrupted by the rude snort of a blonde man. "Rightfully?" he hissed out in anger. "Those bastards didn't need to admit their guilt; they had the evidence on them!"

"How dare you speak out of turn, Yamanaka-san!" another spat out in disgust. "I myself have pleasant business dealing with one of them men this, murderer killed!" he said before turning to the Hokage. "You must do something about this filth before we're forced to go over your head!"

"I'll take that as a threat!" the Hokage suddenly ground out in hate. "Speak to me like that again and I'll have you sent to T and I for treason!" he spat out quelling the man. "If you want to capture this vigilante ninja then since the village isn't in any immediate danger I see no reason why we should pay for it. If you want to commission Konoha ninja for a mission, I'm sure my mission office will inform me of your request and we can arrange payment.

"Now, if we have no more business… Tsume-san, I wish to speak with you in my office if I may?" he asked but he didn't leave them in question that he didn't care what they think and that they're dismissed.

He exited the chamber while they were all getting up deep in thought. He is a little concerned, but while this mysterious ninja is only causing the crime gangs of Greyland trouble he doesn't see any reason to care about putting much effort into capturing him. Heck, if he slaughters the whole of Konoha's underground he'll help keep his identity from the council… if he ever finds out who this vigilante is.

Tenten sat in her room with a sixteen-year-old girl with short black hair and average bust, but beautiful soft skin and sparking blue eyes. They sat opposite each other cross-legged on the bed with the brunette girl just sitting in her white panties and bra while smiling at the girl with brown haired tied up into twin buns.

"Go on, you wanted to see," the brunette said with a sexy husk to her voice.

Tenten blushed as she reached up and gave the brunette's right boob a squeeze, her eyes opening wide before she reached down and grabbed her crouch. "Oh my god, this is freaky, Naru-kun… umm… Naru-chan…!"

She pulled back in shock as Naru groaned as it felt nice, and she felt the dampness. "Oh, dam, Ten-chan you're trying to kill me with your groping!" she said with a smirk that cursed Tenten's cheeks to light in flames.

"B-but… this should be impossible!" she replied confused. "Y-you've actually turned yourself into a girl… this is impossible, or should be… can you do the same with guys?"

She shook her head. "Nope, it's only an illusion with guys, but if I fix it enough I could trick you, well, perfectly I guess. It's just like this it won't just poof away if I get knocked about. Don't ask me why," she said shrugging, though secretly knows it's because of the Kyuubi's sealing, what with being a girl-demon. She smiled as she shook her head and the brunette hair shifted down passed her shoulders and turned a sunny yellow.

"That's freaky that you can change things so slow that it doesn't make a poof of smoke," she replied looking over the blonde girl in awe as she moved closer and raked her fingers through the blonde girl's soft hair. "It doesn't make sense, Naru… but maybe… it could be a bloodline power, but I don't see how much use turning into girls could be."

Naru shrugged as she thought about it. "Well, I guess, apart from tricking perverts… but not all bloodline powers are all that useful are they?"

"I guess you've got a point," she agreed nodding her head in agreement, as she's heard of some really stupid ones, like a pee your pants technique, really? Is that necessary…? "Well, anyway, put some clothes on and turn back and let's go. If we're up here alone too long dad will come looking."

"Ok," she agreed giggling as she kissed Tenten's lips making her look uncomfortable for a moment.

"Wait," she said after a moment with a smirk as Naru was about to jump off the bed. "Just get dressed and stay as a girl without the birthmarks and see whether anyone will recognise you!"

"OK, I'm all for having fun," she said smirking as she hoped off the bed and shifted down a couple of years and into a civilian school uniform consisting of a blue ripply skirt to just above her knees with white knee high socks and black half boots. She wore a cute white tee shirt with a sailor like V-neck collar in blue over her back and round her neck with a red bandana tied with a ring tight around it with the local junior high schools crest over her right breast, and her hair tied back with a red ribbon hanging down with her hair.

"How do I look?" she asked as she turned to Tenten with a bright wink and her right hand making the V for victory sign.

"Naru… it's so not fair that I can't look that cute in just a few seconds!" she complained pouting.

"Hey, don't worry, Ten-chan, you look plenty cute, and I'll be kind, you can touch me anywhere you want," she giggled as she grabbed the brown haired girls arm and dragged her out of her room.

"How do you mimic girls so easily?" she asked as they headed down the stairs.

She tuned a smirk to her. "I watch and observe, and then I write in the personality while I'm in girl form. I don't really do it much. I don't have much need for it really, so…" she shrugged as they exited the house and walked into the street. "It's kind of fun actually… maybe a little naughty…?"

"Trust you," she said laughing as she hung on to Naru-chan's arm.

They were just laughing as they turned a few corners looking for some people they might know when they paused as they noticed a commotion in the street where three older boys stood wearing standard ninja gear with sneering and leering expressions. They wore Cloud forehead protectors, which was a surprise with the animosity Cloud and Leaf have to each other.

They both know that the chunin exams are in a few weeks but wouldn't have thought that any team from Cloud Village would turn up, let alone so early. However, its afternoon and the local school had let out and a whole group of schoolgirls were being blocked from getting away. The girls looked frightened as one of the boys kept trying to pull up skirts while the three of them laughed.

"Why don't you try that on me you dog-shit…!?" Naru hissed angrily as she charged over the street before Tenten realised it, her foot snapped up and blood exploded from his face as he went skidding across the path unmoving as he was knocked out.

The blonde moved out of the range of a strike before grabbing his crutch and squeezing. The guy screamed a very girly scream before she head butted him into unconsciousness. She let him drop as she turned to the last to see him paling and turning to run away, only to come face to face with the enraged blonde girl, looking back she wasn't there anymore. Her right fist connected with his stomach, blasting the wind out of him with blood before she grabbed his throat, swept his feet and slammed him out cold into the conceit, cracking the path and his head.

"Oh my god, that was incredible!"

That screech from one of the girls got all of the other girls cheering and squealing as they all tried to hug Naru before they all stopped as a huge killing intent swept over the area and other than Naru, only Tenten stayed calm.

The girls were all quickly moving behind Naru for protection as a girl with short dark blonde hair and dark eyes walked over followed by two nervous looking boys, and some huge dark skinned muscle bound man with died white-blonde hair in dreadlocks with a goatee.

It was the girls killer intent they could feel as she swaggered over, near catlike. Naru wondered whether fate loved conspiring to never make his life simple as he/she realised that this girl and her team aren't going to be anything like the Cloud team she just beat up.

"What gives you the right to attack our other team!?" the blonde girl demanded as she pulled to a stop her killing intent still going strong.

Naru sneered as she adjusted her pose. It looked lazy until the other blonde grimaced and stepped back as her killer intent was overwhelmed by Naru's in just a brief flash of power and strength before both killer intents were gone.

"If they're genin from your village ready to take the exams you should be ashamed," she retorted while the Cloud Team straightened themselves up from the unexpected return killing intent.

"No fighting, Yugito!" the man said to the blonde girl. "Let's just take these fools and leave. You'll have plenty of time to fight during the exams."

Yugito just stood her ground staring down Naru while she glared back and the Cloud ninja grabbed their downed genin and left before she finally looked away and followed after her team looking peeved.

"Whoa, you just made an enemy of that girl, Naru-chan," Tenten said in amusement.

"Naru-chan, you're the best!"

"Yeah, you're awesome, girl!"

"Pretty and kickass…"

Naru was having a problem as the girls wouldn't let her go and they were hugging and groping her wherever they could grab, which was everywhere. She might have enjoyed all the attention if they would give her a little space to breathe. However, she had to use her sneaky talents substituting herself for some cute girl with glasses on the outer edges leaving her to get groped up while she runs away with Tenten before they realise what happened.

The blue haired girl with glasses whimpered a little and cried timidly for them to stop before they realised the other girl had switched places and gotten away. They were all slumping in sadness when Ino had walked overlooking the way Tenten had run with a blonde girl in a civilian school uniform.

"Was that Tenten with Naruto transformed as a girl?" she asked herself more than anything.

However, most of the girls heard and squealed in even more delight as they realised that if she was really a boy ninja they weren't all being lezzy, and those that wanted to be all lezzy realised that he can turn into a cute girl, so all is right with the world as they ran off to find him/her.

Ino grimaced as she watched the girls go, looking to her pet on her shoulder. "Umm… oops, I guess I'll have to apologise about that later," she said to Vine sheepishly. "I wonder what happened though to get those girls all fan-girly with someone they thought was another girl," she asked herself this more than Vine.

"He… I mean she…" began Shino, confused as he and Hinata had snuck up on them having watched the whole scene from across the street as they had finished for the day and their homes are in the same direction. "Had just beaten up three perverted Cloud Genin and then stood up to another three and their sensei."

Hinata nodded her head in agreement with a soft blush. "Naru-chan was cool, and… and cute," she said with her cheeks darkening.

"Dam, I wish I got to see her beat them up," Ino wined with a sad sigh. "Ah well, she's… umm… I mean he's bound to get into another fight sometime soon," she said with a sigh, shrugging. "Hey, Hinata, do you want to go and find him with me. We might have to save him from those all those perky schoolgirls."

Hinata's eyes widened before she nodded vigorously. "Yes… we should hurry. I-I saw what they were doing to Naru-chan, just-just think of all the-the naughty things t-they might try to do-do to him!"

"Oh, I am," she replied trying not to smile as she grabbed Hinata's hand. "Come on, stop daydreaming!" she said as they both rushed away leaving Shino behind, not that he minded as he sighed.

"Lucky Naruto," he muttered with another sigh. "And he won't snub them like Sasuke snubs his fan-girls. Though, thinking, maybe all of Sasuke's fan-girls will change fandom."

Shino shrugged again, not really bothered and headed on towards his house.

It was getting dark when Hanabi Hyuuga was walking back to her home from the Ninja Academy. She would normally have someone walk her, but she had sent her guard away as she had a little extra work to finish and she didn't want him waiting. It was her fault for forgetting to finish some of her homework.

She brushed back her long dark brown hair as she tried not to think about how creepy the streets are while they're shadowed with the evening. She would NEVER admit it to anyone, but the thought of walking through the cold dark streets at night sends a horrible chill down her spine.

She felt like she was being followed but didn't want to activate her byakugan to check, and felt foolish with her paranoia. It's just things haven't been the same for a few weeks, which is throwing off her game. She had been sparring with her big sister and lost every time… well she didn't exactly loose-loose, but her sister wouldn't stay still and kept dodging everything like it was easy.

It had been infuriating, but more, she had thought back to all of those times she had defeated her big sister and realised that every single time… Hinata had let her win. She could barely believe her revelation, and what's worse is now that Hinata won't let her win, its mocking her 'skill'… she just can't keep up.

Hanabi had never imagined her sister could be that fast, or that skilful. Though, she wonders why their father doesn't seem to notice that Hinata is and always has been better than her. Is he really that blind and hateful to Hinata? She sighed as she was just passing by a creepy looking dark alley when she cried out as something hit her and knocked her flying into the alley.

She crashed painfully into the ground before her training kicked in and she flipped up to her feet standing in her families fighting stance. She ignored the trickle of blood on her forehead and wished she kept her guard. Her eyes took in the sight of a small woman covered in black at the alley entrance, but looking behind she moved from the scary sight of a huge man also hidden by his black clothes.

She moved away from them unsure what they could possibly want, but she knew they're up to nothing good. They didn't speak as the girl charged her, but pulled to a stop seconds later as a green feathered arrow sliced into the ground where she would have been had she not stopped before she jumped back, the arrow exploded.

Hanabi's attackers looked up to the rooftops as several more arrows shot down one after the other, one net bursting out of one and slicing the wall of a building in two before frying it with electricity. Then another two blew up in fire while the last few just sliced into the wall as the man and woman in black barely flipped, dodged and dived out of the way before they were back on their feet, drawing kunai, and ready for a real fight this time.

The young, near ten year old Hyuuga heiress just watched in awe as she had heard the latest rumours about an archer putting a stop to crime whereas the council lets it go on. However, they had just been rumours and she hadn't actually believed in such a person, but she could see them… the green feathered arrows. He's here and he's saving her from these unknown ninja.

"Show yourself!" the large man in black demanded looking around before spinning and dodging another arrow. "Who are you!" he growled out angrily.

"I'm your judge!"

They were all shocked to hear the husky and cool voice right behind Hanabi. She looked behind herself to see him, her saviour. He was wearing a dark green leather top with a wide and stiff hood up hiding his hair, and his face in shadows, but she could see the black-green ash covering his dark eyes over like a mask.

His trousers are dark green, near black combats with black boots, and some green belts strapped around his waist and chest with a green semi-triangular arrow pouch, full on his back at an angle to his right. He wasn't as tall as she would have thought but his body looked strong, and his presence is intimidating. Hanabi had never before felt so small and awed in another person's presence before… well except for with her father, but this… this was different; this was a feeling of safety.

The new man held a beautiful bow with a small blade pointed forwards and armed with an oddly designed arrow aimed at the large man while he looked towards the woman, not even looking to Hanabi or the man.

"You have been found guilty of the assault on an innocent Konohan citizen. I hereby sentence you to death as arrest will be pointless for Kumo ninja!"

"You won't kill us!" the woman said as she seemingly glared at the newcomer. "Even if you are pretty strong, it could start a war!"

"No!" he retorted with a growl as he aimed his bow at her. "I shall serve justice, and if your village is to insight war, your Kage will be next!" he hissed out angrily. "I will not allow politics to get in the way of what is right! You have attacked Hanabi-chan with the intent to kidnap her for…"

He didn't say what for but Hanabi's old enough that she knows why they want to kidnap her, and she shuddered and couldn't help but feel grateful that she has a hero. She knows there are many girls who don't have someone protecting them like this.

"No matter what; she deserves retribution," he continued, his voice harsh and dangerous. "If you resist your judgement it could only end up hurting you further!"

"More than death?" the Kumo woman hissed out semi-amused.

"There are worse things in this world than death," he replied with a growl. "What you want to do with her is a prime example, and I shall let neither happen to her!"

Hanabi was just awed before she was startled as he moved around her in a swift movement, so fast she almost missed his movements, guarding her. His arrow flew and blasted the woman away and out of the alley before he cocked an arrow as the large guy charged at him and it sliced through his shoulder. However, that didn't stop the large guy as the archer blocked kunai with his bow and pushed him off before kicking him back.

The large guy grit his teeth in anger as he glared at the archer before looking to his partner, growling. "Let's go… there are more coming…!" he yelled as he blast away in a flash of yellow lightning.

Looking to the other, the archer groaned as she had gone before turning to Hanabi. She could only stare at him in awe and shock as he put his latest arrow away and his bow surprisingly switched around and shifted into a sword before he slid it onto his back.

He then stroked her cheek, from the shadow under his hood seemingly smiling as he scanned her small, slender body with his hidden dark eyes. "You should be more careful while walking home from school, Hanabi-chan," he said in his husky voice. "You should travel home with your friends next time!"

She just looked up at him when she blinked and he was gone. She just stared at the spot he had been. She had never seen anyone like him before and she couldn't understand the thudding in her chest. She doesn't know why she felt so fascinated by him, but she felt odd just thinking about the way he handled them, the way his gloved fingers caressed her cheek.

"Hanabi…!"

She was startled as she looked up to see her father looking down at her with no expression, just cold eyes. "What happened… we heard and saw…!" he looked over to a wall and marched over, seeing the green feathered arrow and pulled it out in anger. "Did he attack you…!"

"No," she replied as she saw what he was trying to say. "He… the archer…" she said nervously as she looked to the arrow in her father's hand. "Arrow… he saved me from this large man and this small woman! He said they're from, Kumo!"

"Kumo, again!" he hissed out in more anger as he turned to other Hyuuga ninja when he saw the old man Hokage standing with them. "This time we should just kill them, and dam the consequences!"

"We cannot!" the Hokage spoke commandingly. "It seems… what was it your daughter called him… oh yes, Arrow. Arrow has driven them away for now. They'll think twice before trying again so soon and we can get her some bodyguards."

"But, Hokage-sama!" her father got out in anger. "This is the second time… they tried this shit with Hinata and they got away with it…!"

"Yes, and they shall not a second time," he replied leaving no room for discussion. "This, Arrow has stopped them for now and we'll have all of the ninja forces on the watch. The moment any of them even twists the law is the moment we'll take them all in!"

Her father just hissed out his anger before turning to her. "Hanabi… lets go," he said leading her away. "But if they attack my family again, I will not listen to you Sarutobi, and I'll kill them and other, no repentance! It shall be war or they will bow to us!"

The old Hokage sighed as he watched them go before looking around the rooftops. He knows this… Arrow is watching. He just couldn't isolate his position, and doesn't want to risk the council's wrath by trying to call him out to talk, so he left with his men. He'll meet him eventually. After all, he doesn't want to waste such a ninja by letting him hide away when he could be taking stealth missions.

_**To Be Continued…**_


	9. Mission Team 8

_**Mythical Night**_

_**Chapter IX**_

_**Mission Team 8**_

Naruto peeked around a corner and sighed as he straightened out his black suit and white shirt and black tie. He doesn't mind all of the girls hugging or cuddling with him, and they're all eager to please him so he can get them to make out with each other for his enjoyment. However, fun aside they don't seem to know when to just leave him alone because he has work.

He had been speaking to a couple of young women about them renting one of the apartments in his building. He's… well his clones had managed to fix up several of the apartments so far so he had put out a few ads. That's the reason he's in his suit as he wants to look good for meeting his possible tenants.

The two women are both student nurses and since Naruto's apartment block is quite close to the hospital, and the rent isn't bad, and with all of the clean up around Greyland lowering the crime rate they felt safe enough looking, and accepting the two bedroom apartment together.

It had been with the happy friends that the ANBU had found him and told him that he's being summoned by the Hokage, but it's not urgent so he doesn't need to rush. So he finished up his business with the women, had them sign the contract and then left them with the keys before leaving them to it.

However, he had forgotten that the girls had found out who Naru-chan is and when they saw him in his suit with his hair neatly done, and his shades on his face looking smart, sexy, and cool (according to them). They couldn't help but jump him leaving him with some lipstick marks on his face and a few hickies on his neck.

He smirked as he realised he had lost them and quickly rushed out of hiding and made it to the Hokage tower, readjusting his black tinted glasses on his face over his eyes and brushed down more wrinkles in his suit, and brushed away smudges of lipstick off his face as he trekked up the stairs.

Naruto didn't even bother responding to the sectary as she angrily charged at him with a katana before he pulled it from her hands nonchalant before lobbing her out of the window with a quick push to the small of her back. He's surprised she hasn't quit her job yet, but he can only hope as he looked out, surprised she had finally landed on her feet, screaming up at him in anger.

She was just unfortunate that his fans had turned up having heard him say he had to get to the tower, and with anger and rage the sectary didn't know what hit her as she was beaten to a pulp by around forty angry schoolgirls.

Naruto chuckled nervously before opening the office door and walking in, letting the door close behind him. He was surprised to see his team and Team 8 looking over at him as he entered. The Hokage sitting behind his desk didn't even ask what happened to the old bat this time as he knew she had gone out of the window as Naruto was playing with the katana he saw her with earlier.

"What's with the suit moron!?" Kiba demanded laughing at him while Hinata blushed and eyed him up and down hungrily.

"Looking good, unlike you, dipshite!" he retorted laughingly as he flicked the sword to a wall and an ANBU stepped out catching it, a woman with long purple hair and a cat mask before stepping back into the shadows with the sword, which shocked the other students as they realised Naruto knew she was there and threw it to her.

Naruto then buried his hands in his trouser pockets looking bored and for once Sakura briefly thought 'cool' while looking at Naruto and realised what Ino see's in him. She hated feeling like that, but she is only human and can't control what her body feels.

However, Sakura quickly realised what she was thinking and shook that away hoping nobody noticed her blushing like Hinata. She decided she needed to go on the attack before someone realises she is having impure thoughts about another boy, and worse, Naruto.

"Naruto, you're late!" the pink haired banshee roared after only a few moments. "You stupid baka!" she went to hit him. However, when she swung she just crashed painfully into the floor as he moved out of the way with a simple sidestep, not even pulling his hands from his pockets, and still looking bored.

His teammates looked at him in surprise, though Kakashi was quick to glare with Sakura as she got up. She conveniently forgot about what happened last time they saw each other. He wonders whether she could be saved, and just has a mental disorder, and hopes so. He doesn't think she's really bad, but having met her mother. She needs to learn that her mother is a selfish bitch, and everything she says is a load of crap.

"Naruto you baka, how dare you move…!?" she demanded angrily, more enraged than she was when she banged on his apartment door a couple weeks back.

"Hokage-sama," Kakashi interrupted, trying to keep his anger with Naruto in check. "This boy has been nothing but trouble and useless. I'm placing him on report!"

"No you're not," he replied shocking the jonin.

Naruto smirked before shrugging as he snatched Kakashi's little orange book of porn from the surprised man and threw it to Sakura. "You might not be such a stressed out bitch if you read some of that to help you get off!"

It was actually a surprise it had been Kurenai that had laughed. "Sorry," she said as everyone looked to her. "It was quite amusing…" she tried defending herself, though the old man would later agree.

"OK, enough, Sakura!" the old man Hokage interrupted before she could continue being a bitch as Kakashi was quick to take his precious book back before she ruined it. "If you continue on like this I'll put you and your whole team up on probation, understand?"

"Y-yes Hokage-sama, but Naruto started…"

"No, you started it," Shino was quick to interrupt. "Naruto-san is not late as ANBU had to find him. In addition to this, if Naruto-san was busy for some reason, it is only polite to wrap things up; otherwise, he wouldn't be wearing a suit. This meeting was not prearranged so Naruto-san was within his right to conclude business as it was not stated to be urgent. I now believe you should quieten as the Hokage has something to discuss with us."

She just grumbled and looked at Naruto in anger as if it's his fault she got into trouble and nobody noticed the Hyuuga girls' quick glare at her. If they did, they might worry about Sakura's continued safety.

"Yes, quite, thank you, Shino-kun," the aged Hokage agreed with a nod. "It has come to my attention that neither of your teams are doing well…"

He glared and leaked out some killer intent as Kakashi, Sasuke, and Kiba had been about to interrupt. He had little doubt all of them were about to blame their teammates in some form or another, and he didn't care to hear their bull-shit.

"No Kakashi," he said glaring at the man. "I really didn't think much on it until I finally got to read your team reports, after Shino's father came to see me about his concerns with Team Eight with a request that I've been looking into and finally come to a decision. It seems from your reports that Sasuke is the only one doing anything of any use other than yourself, which contradicts other reports.

"However!" he continued loudly to interrupt the smug looking Sakura from praising him. "As you may have realised, I have just read the report from the Wave Country mission that claims that you and Sasuke defeated Zabuza and his apprentice…"

"What the hell…!?" Naruto asked out in shock. He wouldn't have actually thought Kakashi would have the guts to lie like that as he could so easily get found out. "I defeated Haku!" he declared in anger. "The thought of Sasuke taking credit for defeating him…/her is an insult to Haku's memory."

"Don't be such a liar Naru…!" Sakura spat out, but the way she said it was without much conviction. She almost sounded bad for lying herself, and Naruto couldn't help but feel pity for her. She's so far in her own little world of Sasuke having to be great that she just can't help but butt in and lie for him.

"Enough, Sakura!" the Hokage hissed out wondering whether he could give her to a kunoichi with a sadistic thirst for blood to get her trained up in something more useful than cheerleading. "I had also received a letter of thanks from Wave and their version of events differs vastly to yours. In fact, the bridge builder felt it his duty to state his concern with how you in particular treat Naruto, and that Kakashi just seems to find amusement in it!

"If I so much as hear a whisper of you threatening or assaulting another Ninja of Konoha again… I shall have you taken to T and I!" he finished off and the idea of sending her to a vicious kunoichi was sounding better and better, maybe he could split her time between more than one for extra 'training'. It would show her what a real kunoichi should know, and be.

"But Hokage-sama," she said out panicking. "It's only Naruto-baka… my mum has always said that I can…!"

"Then I'll be investigating your bitch of a mother too!" he hissed such venom they all flinched and realised why he's top dog as they felt a spike of his power, and she had finally settled his mind. She'll regret the day she pushed his kindness too far, then someday maybe thank him. "I am taking Naruto off of Team Seven and trading him with Team Eights Kiba," he finally finished off to a few shocked gasps.

"What have I done…!?" Kiba asked in shock. "I'll tell my mum, she won't have this!" he spat out in his eternal arrogance.

"That's surprising how she was all for the idea," he replied glaring at the boy. "I don't like the way you've been acting towards your other teammates, or the way you've been disrespectful to your sensei! So I'm giving you to Team Seven whether you like it or not!"

"But she's just a woman, why should I…?"

"Oh shit Kiba, your mums just their standing on a giant mushroom with legs and eyes… its freaky!" interrupted Naruto with an annoyed growl and pointing to the door.

"Where…?" he asked and he wasn't the only one who looked, but he was the only one who fell to the floor with a bloody nose unconscious. His little white puppy just stood staring at him with a shake of its little puppy head.

"You should look for a smarter pet," he said to the little dog. "Hopefully one that's not a dick," he added as he looked the boy over as he pulled out a marker pen and writing the words 'suck me boys' on his face with an arrow pointing down on his face.

The Hokage groaned and shook his head as he looked up to see said wild looking beautiful woman, mother to the idiot. Though, she isn't ridding on a freaky mutant mushroom, which might have brought some amusement to his day. She just stood there snickering as her son had fallen for that quite a few times now, from the same person. She would have thought he would have figured out that he should STOP looking over there.

"Tsume-san," the old man greeted with a small bow of his head. "I do apologise for starting so soon as I knew you wanted to be here, but…" he gestured Sakura, Kakashi and Kiba. "They were being quite stubborn…"

"Bitches," Naruto answered as the old man couldn't find the right word to finish with. They all just looked to him in surprise and he almost missed Hinata's small dreamy smile. "Sorry, they were being bitches!" he said glaring as Kakashi sneered at him.

"Quite," she answered with a smirk. "I like that… hmm… my daughters only five years older than you…" she suggested with raised eyebrows. "I wouldn't mind having such a… an incredible son-in-law."

Naruto chuckled nervously as he rubbed the back of his neck. "Well umm… some have mentioned I have demonic stamina, so err, I don't think she could handle me by herself."

She looked surprised for a moment before she burst out laughing. "I like you, kid; you have some balls on you," she said laughingly when the Hokage cleared his throat to draw back their attention while looking amused. "Oh, right… you were talking before my son was a rude moron and got KO'd with one shot. He can be so easily tricked I have to wonder whether I didn't just find him in a pet store."

"Well, right," he said shaking his head and rolling his eyes. "Kakashi, take your new student and get out of my sight. Oh, and if you don't show any improvements, or should I say if your students don't I shall have you on probation and remove you as Uchiha-sans teacher, do you understand?" he asked treating him like a child.

"Y-yes, sir," he said nervously as he scooped Kiba up.

"Sakura!" he added before they left through the door. She turned to him and gulped. "I believe I have someone who would like to meet you. She likes to get an early start so be here at six thirty AM! If you're late by even a second she will punish you, and I don't care how! Do you understand?"

She gulped as she nodded her head. "Y-yes sir," she said as he just gestured for them to leave and they did closing the door behind them quickly with Kiba's dog rushing out with them.

"Well, Kurenai… I actually have a mission for your team," he said once they were gone. "Tsume-san has requested a mission with us… a C rank accompanying her to the Summit Monastery up North Pass to deal with some unexplained animal attacks. It shouldn't take longer than a few days so you'll be back with time to decide whether you believe your team is capable of taking the chunin exam."

"Yes sir," she agreed nodding surprised her newly made team made no motion of caring about entering the exams. She didn't doubt with the way things are going that they could do well and make her proud.

"It's such a simple thing I figured it would be easy going for a new genin team," Tsume agreed with a smile. "I wouldn't have asked Team Eight with Kiba on it as I know he isn't mature enough to travel with me, so be ready for let's say… two-thirty at the North Gate, so that leaves you just over two hours to get supplied and whatever else you need to do."

"Sweet," Naruto said with a grin. "Maybe on this C rank mission we won't get attacked by A rank nuke-nin…" he said with a sheepish grin as he leaned into towards the old man. "Or any freaky monsters wanting to eat or kill us. I've had enough of that for a while…"

"We can only, hope," the Hokage said with a smile, not worried about security so much as Naruto's new teammates are trustworthy and Kurenai and Tsume know about them anyway. "Well Team Eight, dismissed and don't be late now," he added the last as the students left passed Tsume and Kurenai as they exited the office together.

"How did you swing this?" Kurenai couldn't help but ask after a moment of the door being closed. "I would have thought the council…?"

The Hokage just smirked. "They're not the only people who can sneak about. It was actually simple as I used my power to just switch their teams. I don't know how long it will take them to notice but they can't usurp me on this. Like other 'parties', I've been getting tired of them thinking they're in charge, and I'm no longer above cheating. They're just weakening our village because of their own greed. I shall no longer allow this…"

Naruto left his new team passed the beaten pulp of the sectary fast, he ran, and ran through the streets at top speed. The blast of his movement making the odd skirt or dress float up as he tried to get back home without getting accosted by hot girls wanting to hug him or something when he has to get changed and get ready for the mission.

"Uzumaki-kun…?" he was called as soon as he got to his apartment block by a pretty young blonde woman, one of his two new tenants. "I'm sorry to bother you while you're in a hurry, but we forgot to ask about utilities."

"Oh, right… the small closet by the front door has your metres in it," he said with a grin. "It's fixed billing, but don't worry, if you want just tell me and I'll add in utilities to your rent to make it easier for you. But I'm going to be away for a couple of days, so you can just leave a note through my door and I'll sort it for you when I get home, OK?"

"Yes, thank you, Uzumaki-kun," she said cheerfully as she waved while he ran off upstairs to his floor. "Good luck with… whatever it is you're going to be doing…!" she called after him.

Naruto quickly entered his apartment and after closing the door started stripping out of his suit, folding it neatly and then leaving it on his bed in his room before grabbing his regular ninja gear and getting dressed.

He looked at his watch after he grabbed all of his equipment and realised that he should have taken his time, but then thinking about that, if he did he might have been discovered by his newly acquired fans and then been late. He doesn't want to be a douche like Kakashi and make his team wait around for him.

Shrugging he grabbed his keys and wallet and exited the apartment and snuck out of his building. With the way things are lightening in the crime department around his neighbourhood, he wouldn't be surprised if his fan-girls risked hunting for him here if they find out where he lives.

He was cautious as he walked through town towards North Gate when he was walking by Tenten's place he had plenty of time to stop by and tell her he's off on a mission. So entering he saw the girl behind the counter quickly hiding something as the bell above the door chimed, which he found suspicious as he walked over.

"Hey, Ten-chan, what was that you, hid?" he asked with a smirk as he leant on the counter trying to look under it, but she just nervously move in his way causing his face to push up against her. "Come on Ten-chan, you know I can't be beat like that…" another Naruto said behind as he threw something to the real Naruto as he stood up straight grinning as he caught it.

He looked it over while she blushed and glared at him. It's a large dark purple crossbow, but looking it over, it can probably hold multiple arrows, and yep. He smiled as he fiddled with it a little watching as he pulled the trigger as the arrow 'barrel' moved, which would replace the unloaded arrow with a loaded one and reset the crossbow.

"Wow, somebody has arrow-envy," he said teasingly while she snatched it off him and glare pouted at him in annoyance.

"Don't be stupid Naru-kun," she said rolling her eyes. "Dad made a pair awhile back, and hearing the rumours of this Arrow guy I dug them out and fixed them up. They were quite dirty and they didn't really work right when dad made them, which is why I just dumped them in storage, but I've finally figured out how to get them fully functional!"

"Well, I bow before your humble, awesomeness," he replied with a grin and a cheeky mock bow. "I just popped by to tell you I've finally gotten a new team. I'm now taking Kiba's place on Team Eight… we were traded."

"That's awesome, Naru-kun," she said giving him a hug with a wide grin. "You've finally got teammates that aren't douche's. Though, having Kiba on her team, maybe Sakura will learn how good she had it with you on her team."

He laughed when that reminded him of something. "I think the old man Hokage is giving her some special treatment by introducing her to…" he laughed more as he thought about a few kunoichi that he might 'introduce' her too. "I don't know who, but she's got to be dangerous the way he said it."

Tenten snorted her laugh, rolling her eyes. "Well maybe she'll have learnt her lesson by the time she's done… she's been giving a bad name to kunoichi. I guess she might not be so bad if she gets a better role model than that lazy moron, Kakashi."

"Anyone is a better role model compared to that guy," he replied shrugging. "I don't know what his problem is and I don't much care. If he is going to be a jonin-sensei, he has to treat his students equally. I had to deal with that bastard Sasuke getting everything while I got shit at the academy, so I wouldn't expect it from Kakashi too, especially with our lives on the line!"

"Yeah well, the rest of us had to put up with those academy idiots too," she replied shrugging. "Neji was always getting special treatment from the instructors while the rest of us were looked at like we should be looking up at his 'genius' in awe."

"It's freaking crazy," he answered shaking his head. "My class had several other clan heirs but they were all falling over themselves to suck Sasuke's shit hole clean! Yet, the prick doesn't even appreciate it, and they kept on bowing to him while he shows off everything! He's become so predictable as he keeps spitting out fireballs and sprouting off about how much more powerful he is compared to everyone else…"

She shook her head looking amused. "At least he doesn't piss about with 'your fate is to lose to me' and crap like that every time he opens his stupid mouth. If I have to hear shit like that one more time, I might show him that his fate is to die speared on the end of my spear!" she hissed out as she kicked a long black spear off a shelf, catching it and spinning it around her fingers before standing with it beside her.

"Whoa, cute and scary," he said with a grin. "Anyway, Ten-chan, I have a mission, so won't be around for a couple days. So I have to go before I'm late. I'll see you when I get back, and tell Ino-chan for me, and try to spread word to all of those girls so they stay clear of Greyland."

"Will do," she said with a grin as she gave him a quick searing kiss before he escaped out of the door waving to her.

She shook her head smiling as she placed her spear back onto the shelf.

_**To Be Continued… **_


	10. Fogged Paths

_**Mythical Night**_

_**Chapter X**_

_**Fogged Paths**_

Naruto arrived at the North Gate of Konoha, surprised he had just arrived after Tsume and checking his watch he realised he's ten minutes early. He could have perhaps wasted a little extra time with Ten-chan, but it's better to be a little early than a little late. He doesn't want to be anything like that tardy ex-sensei of his and make anyone wait when he doesn't have to. If he was doing something important it would be another story.

"Hey," he said nervously to the woman as her dog partner just lay to the side napping while she lent up against a tree a little way from the Gate Guards. She probably would agree with him that most of the gate guards are douches, which is why she's not over by them. They're low level chunin, on guard duty because they're not fit for anything else.

"Oh, hey there, Naru-kun," she said with a purr to her voice giving him a wink. She had expected blushing cheeks but was pleased that he isn't that easy to embarrass. "I've been thinking about your… demonic stamina… and since my daughter, Hana most certainly won't be able to cope alone. I sure as hell wouldn't mind… helping out, and I'm sure with that cute little Hyuuga too. You'll have more than enough to tire you out."

Naruto's eyes widened as he realised what she just said and pictured the hot mother and daughter together with him and Hinata. That's a beautiful picture he'll keep with him for a good long while. He had to take a few calming breaths to keep from thinking about how hot that would be.

"I'll… have to stick some confidence in Hina-chan first," he said with a smirk and suggestive eyebrow raise, which almost made her fall over in her wide-eyed shock.

She then laughed but looking him up and down licking her lips. "I like you more and more," she said still laughing. "Most boys your age would have blown," she said walking over to him with a swing to her step before stopping close to him, her large bust nearly in his face, her slanted eyes, hungry.

However, to his credit he didn't move an inch. However, it was hard to keep from getting… well hard, and more so as she cupped his crutch before startling wide-eyed as she felt him and staggered back as she let go. The feel of the older woman's hand on his crotch lingered for a moment as he used all his will power to control himself. He's had plenty of practice with self-control during his 'dreams' with Kyuu-chan.

"J-jokes off the table, you win," she said breathlessly. "That is one mighty weapon you're packing," she said licking her lips.

Naruto just gave a sheepish smirk while his breathing is heavy as he calmed down. "I won't lose when I don't have to, Tsume-chaaan!" he said with a smug grin while she blushed a little here. "Maybe some other time, but Hinata-chan's here…"

She was surprised as said girl walked around a few trees and into view while blushing as Naruto went over to greet her. Tsume couldn't help but feel aroused by that odd little moment. She had originally just been joking… well mainly joking. She is a woman with needs after all, and his age doesn't matter to her.

However, looking at the way he just knew the cute girl was coming. She didn't even sense her, which is a surprise. She rolled her eyes and looking at him more wishing, he is a member of her clan. He wouldn't humiliate her people like Kiba does, but bring them some pride.

She thought back to a second before, her eyes opened wide as she remembered the cute twitch of his nose. He had smelt Hinata arriving, and not only that but before Tsume, and he knew exactly who it was. She was awed if that's true because then he has a better sense of smell than her.

However, Tsume shook away those thoughts as Kurenai turned up from one direction with Shino coming in from another. Therefore, they all headed out up the Mountain Pass through the trees. This path isn't taken often enough to have a proper trail so they had to walk apart. It wasn't so bad, and the walk was nice and refreshing.

Kurenai took the front position with Shino using his insects to scout ahead. This kept Naruto and Hinata in the centre of their team as backup 'heavy hitters' and Tsume at the rear checking out Naruto and wondering about his supposed heightened senses.

He would make for a useful tracker, scouter, and member of her clan. It's annoying because he's too old now. If she really knew about him before now, she would have set him up in her clan with a partner. She might have even made his heir, but thinking about that she could make him heir if her daughter gained an interest in him, and married him, then her daughter will run the clan rather than Kiba with his idiocy.

Naruto was actually making Hinata smile and giggle as he chatted away to her, helping her through the brambles. He was desperate to stop thinking naughty thoughts about Kiba's mum, sister and Hinata. He already has an army of obedient girls, and possibly three girlfriends that know about each other and don't mind, Hinata included, so does he need more? Probably, but he'll try to limit that or he won't know what to do.

It was several hours later that they set up camp and made up some meals and bed rolls, leaving out tents as there's possibly a wild animal attacking people, and don't want to get trapped in a tent.

"It's not far from here… a few hours walk at most, but it's best to rest up for the night to be fresh for tomorrow," Tsume said as they settled down around a fire cooking up a small meal to keep them going.

Naruto settled up against a large tree next to Hinata as they rested he smiled as she had drifted off to sleep and pulled her into his arms to keep her warm. He had easily fallen into dreams and had just spent three weeks training when Kyuu-chan told him they're being approached and opened his senses as he woke to the real world.

It was early morning when he sat up properly, and moved Hinata from cuddling with him and carefully propped her up against the tree before standing. He took a few deep breaths and pulled in several unfamiliar scents and concentrating he could pick up their chakra.

He looked around to see that Kurenai, Shino, Tsume, and her dog were also sleeping like Hinata. It was odd as neither of the older women would be stupid enough to sleep without a sentry. He knew there has to be something wrong and without hesitation, he was in the trees in the shadows as he pulled his hood up shadowing his face.

It was a green wearing ninja that moved from one tree to the next, suppressing his chakra as he stalked his prey, his hood up hiding his face in shadows. It wasn't long until he spotted several men all kitted out in armour and weapons. He held his bow at the ready and loaded an arrow as he watched them, waiting, curious.

"Come on, they're not too far," one spoke out laughing gruffly. "I picked up three females, and two male. Just kill the guys and we'll have a party…"

The following assassin frowned in anger for only a moment before he counted them, fifteen. If only they had stumbled across these wild animals a bit further north. Naruto frowned as he stalked down the tree in a crouch, his bow armed and ready as he aimed.

He got halfway down when he fired at the rear men. His arrow then split into two spikes that stabbed through the two men's throats. They gargled quietly as two end pieces attached had shot off and sliced into trees, high above the ground with chakra infused pulleys, and pulled both gurgling, struggling men up, hanging them in just seconds without the others being any wiser. He just watched the two men for a second, hidden on his tree before jumping over to the next tree and up, hidden in the thick foliage of the trees.

The ninja didn't give his victims much thought as he kept his sights set on the others, his eyes dark and cold. He hadn't taken hardly any time with the two men as they now hung, dead. In fact, he hadn't missed much, if any of their conversation.

"I won't be able to keep them asleep for too long. If we don't capture them quickly and they wake up we might be done for. Konoha Ninja aren't known for their brutality, but they might make an exception with us."

Their shadow had noticed one man had fallen back and fell out of the tree onto his back, his bow switching to a sword and stabbing through his shoulder before he snapped the man's neck all in one go without him crying out. He then pulled him behind some trees in seconds, dumping him in a bush before he was back in the trees with his bow ready.

"Shh, guys, did you hear that?" one asked as he looked around, panicked. "W-wait, are we missing someone…? Where's, Gobi… and… or…?" he looked around more frantic and worried now.

"W-what the hell, where are they?" another asked looking around in panic. "Shit, what the fuck…? Keep your guard up boys," he said sounding braver than he was.

It is dark and their stalker just watched using his enhanced senses as they drew their swords and stood in a circle back to back.

"Who's there, show yourself cowards!?" a fat bruit of a man yelled out.

"I'm your nightmares nightmare!" he answered with a rough voice from the shadows of the night, in the trees letting his voice echo throughout the woods. They had started and looked around more scared than before. It didn't help that they couldn't see very well as they had stopped in a small clearing with foliage blocking out the moonlight.

"Come out here coward!" he yelled again as they kept their back-to-back circle. He didn't seem to notice the irony of that statement, considering he has to put ninja to sleep before he can attack. "I'm going to rip your skull open!"

"You're already dead!"

The voice came from within their circle, and they all turned and swung as a figure seemed to swish and flip up through them, blood-curdling screams emitted with blood flying before there was silence. The remaining men looked down, five of them lay bloodied on the ground, either headless or pierced and blood coated killed by each other in their panic to get this hunter.

"Oh god… who the fuck are you…!?"

"I'm the darkness coming to swallow you, and punish you for your crimes!" he spoke, his voice husky, an echoed whisper that was both cold and empty. "I am your Judge, Jury, and Executioner! I shall punish you as this lawless land would not… swift and without mercy!"

"P-please, no… someone, anyone, help me!" he cried out as another body thumped down next to them leaving six, a green feathered arrow in his forehead.

This is where one went and ran screaming like a coward. It just so happened to be the wimp of the lot, but then maybe the others are too scared to flee. Their shadow just watched him go with a hidden smirk.

"I have your scent. I shall find you… you have been Judged! And you shall be sentenced!" the cold voice followed and echoed through the forest.

One man fell to his shaky knees here begging, another falling next to him, crying and whimpering. "I show no mercy to coward bandits who would hurt the innocent!" the voice whispered between both of them in their ears causing them to piss themselves.

They both gargled to see their own swords through their chests before looking to see their killer had gone and they just keeled over dead. The remaining men looked up as they felt a deathly chill run through their blood to see it, the dark shadow silhouetted hooded figure standing in a tree before they blinked and he disappeared.

"Oh… g… od…!" another gurgled out blood pooling from his lips as has an arrow through the back of his neck severing his spinal cord before he just fell, dead.

"S-so… this is a… a real n-ninja," said one of the last men as he turned to the large man with an oddly designed arrow in his chest, and blood on his lips as a tiny green light blinked twice, it blew up with the large man getting blasted back covered with his dead friends flesh and blood.

The large man was whimpering on his knees as he crawled up, shivering and smelt of urine and excrement, as he looked around shakily, terrified. "P-please… s-s-s-spare m-m-me…"

"Boo!"

The last squealed as something landed on him with a crushing blast of power, a hand crushing his skull in an explosion of strength before he stood up straight and brushed himself down and took a few steadying breaths.

Arrow growled as he looked the way the coward ran before he swished away chasing down the one trying to get away. He hadn't realised any of these 'men' would be so fast as he had gotten far enough that he felt safe enough to rest, wheezing for breath. However, he showed surprise and horror as he found a green-feathered arrow slice into his chest and pierce his heart. He fell down to the ground, dead with a slump.

The archer sighed and went to relax a little when he heard some laughter coming from some men a little way off. Shaking his head, he internally groaned as he streaked through the trees until he came to the sight of five large built missing-nin laughing and sneering. They dragged some young woman by thick silver chains binding her wrists together with red metal cuffs, a longer chain attached like a leash, and a red collar of leather around her neck with a chain attached from it to those around her wrists.

His sense of justice was vexed in moments. She's slender, and has some nice looking curves with long bright green hair down to her butt, and a young but wary face, her expression blank. Her eyes are covered by a steel sheet moulded with her face, strapped around with a key lock, obviously made just for her.

She's wearing a firm, hugging long white all in one suit with some black markings, and with baggy sleeves with black straps on them. He realised that the suit is an all-in-one straightjacket, or maybe straight-suit as he looked to the leg restraint straps tied around her legs and ankles so she can walk rather than tying her legs together as they normally would.

She was bare foot and dirty too as the men had started dragging her along the floor. However, Arrow couldn't understand how she didn't show any sign of caring, but then maybe she has been broken. However, taking in her scent he can't smell them on her in 'that' fashion, which leads him to believe that she is in chains for another reason.

"Hurry up, bitch!" one of the men demanded, kicking her in the ribs, which caused her to whimper and grit her teeth to keep from crying out. "The Mistress will be pissed if we don't get you to town before the morning…" he said angrily before looking over to one of his companions with a look of thought. "What the hell is taking those dicks so long just to bring back those women?"

Arrow grits his teeth in anger from his vantage point. "They're dead…!" his voice suddenly echoed out in rage startling them. The man holding the green haired woman's chains let go, dropping her to lie breathless on the dirty ground, as they all pulled out swords.

"Who the fuck are you? Show yourself!" their leader demanded angrily.

"Release the girl, and I might let you leave!" he retorted, his rough voice bouncing around the woods, creeping them out and making them jumpy as their eyes darted around trying to find the source of the voice. "If you do not, your death is assured!"

"Not a chance, you prick," the leader yelled out some more. "We fear our Mistress too much… she'll flay us, and I'm not talking metaphorically. Anyway, why would you want to defend this pathetic witch! She has magical powers yet she doesn't even use them like she could."

Arrow was surprised but that didn't stop his resolve. "If you bitches are trying to use her powers for your own gain then that is even more reason to rescue her… and by doing so I stop your Mistress from doing bad! If she is innocent, then even a witch deserves my protection!"

The man was startled by that proclamation before he barely dodged a weird looking arrow, near falling as it passed and stuck into the ground just behind him. "Shit, look out, this guy's not like your normal modern day ninja!" he cried out in a hurry. "He's an assassin, you'll be dead before you realise he's there if you're not careful!" he just finished off when the arrow exploded splashing blood from his right arm as he went down.

He might have gotten up if a second arrow hadn't hit him in the face and exploded, tearing his face into mush of burnt flesh keeping him down. The other four men could only stare in horror while the green haired witch just stayed on the ground, laying still and listening. She knows that she should stay where she is, and still to keep out of the assassin's way or risk getting hit.

The other men panicked as they realised this is serious and they're under assault, by one man and loosing. They had started to panic and tried to escape but arrow after arrow sliced into them. They could only scream and beg before they followed their boss straight to hell, if there is such a place.

It was with a swish that the witch flinched as her chains were shattered with a powerful blade, enhanced by chakra as Arrow knew he needed a lot of power to free her as he can sense the magic in them. They shattered, but left a few links on each wrist and on her collar, but she still stayed still as she felt the windblast over her face and the metal over her eyes sliced in two falling apart.

He could no longer feel any magic or power coming from the chains, so figured he broke the enchantments stopping her from getting way. She still had her eyes closed, but they slowly opened to show her lime-yellow eyes blinking a few times as they adjusted on her pretty face as she looked at her saviour.

She shook herself clear of the feeling of restraint as she checked herself over before she pulled herself back to her bare feet looking weak and hungry. "What do you want out of me as a reward?" she suddenly asked without much thought or expression as she gave him a curious look.

"Just to know that you're OK," he replied huskily. "I don't do this for reward or recognition. I do this because I can. Do you need me to escort you home?"

She just looked at him with a small, amused smile as she thought about it. "No… I can find my own way to wherever I want to go," she responded as she turned from him. "Thank you… you are a strange young man… it shall be fun to see what you do next," she said before disappearing in a flash of white light.

Arrow could only stare at the spot she had been in awe before letting out his breath and heading back into the trees. He hadn't even gotten her name, and made a mental note to ask his damsels names straight away next time. Though, he has a feeling that he will be seeing her again, but now he has to worry about this Mistress and has an odd feeling that he's going to come across her very soon.

Naruto sat in camp with Hinata snuggled up to him when Kurenai and Tsume both seemed to wake at the same time and look around in panic only to see Naruto looking at them in amusement.

"You both fell asleep a few hours back," he said rolling his eyes. "But don't worry, I've had some shadow clones out keeping watch," he said smiling as he cuddled with Hinata-chan more while she held him, her body twisted tightly with his.

"I-I've never fallen asleep before," Kurenai said in shock and embarrassment.

"Me neither," Tsume said nervously. "But there's always a first for everything, but at least Naruto-kun's on the ball," she said laughing and trying not to feel foolish.

Naruto would have responded if Hinata hadn't woken, blushing as she realised how she is with Naruto and she blinked sleep from her eyes, but she didn't move from him as he's holding her in return with a smile as he was the first to say 'good morning' to her. It wasn't long after before Shino had woken.

They soon settled down for breakfast before sunbreak when they moved on where they slowly started moving into a darker part of the forest, and despite her embarrassment Hinata was hugging hold of Naruto's arm looking around in fear. He enjoyed her company, and she is too as he didn't tease her, but reassured her. She is so crept out that she point blank refused to activate her special eyes, afraid what she might see.

Though, Naruto didn't say anything about that he couldn't blame her. He knows what could be out there, and he has a bad feeling that they're not hunting a normal animal but rather a hideous monster that might want to eat them

"W-what is that smell, and how long until we're at the Monastery?" Naruto asked after a while. He was getting a bit bored with no attack forthcoming.

"I can smell it too," Tsume said after a moment with a frown. "It smells like… well, death," she said ominously. "The Monastery should just be on the other side of a small town called Grey Hill! We should be nearing the town now. I suggest you all prepare yourselves. This doesn't seem like it's going to be pleasant."

"And this fog…?" Kurenai asked as the forest floor is laden with thick fog and the deeper they travel the denser that it is that its obscuring their vision. "This fog doesn't look very normal…" she said looking around nervously.

"It's not made up of moisture," Naruto said after a moment. "So it's not the Hidden Mist Technique…" he said with his eyes scanning around. "I think I can smell some kind of magic…"

"Be careful," Shino suddenly spoke, agreeing with Naruto with a nod. "My insects say that something is following us…"

They kept on moving still but Naruto was looking to the floor and the fog. "It's the fog… whatever's creating this fog is watching us through it!"

"How do you know?" asked Kurenai while Hinata just squeezed herself into Naruto's arm tighter, and he could feel her shaking.

"I… I can sense it…" he answered slowly as his eyes flickered from left to right, alight and alert. "I… I can sense… well… I cannot explain it. It's like mysticism or something, but… different, kind of… I don't know how to describe it but maybe we should get out of here."

"Too late, we're already here," Tsume said as they came to the open gates with a cobbled stone path leading into the small and creepy town. It has the fog hovering around it making it dark, like night.

Though, they looked back to see the forest was completely obscured by fog and they shivered as they subconsciously knew they are trapped. "I guess this means we're going in…"

"No… we're leaving now…" Kurenai said but trailed to a stop as Naruto just shook his head.

"The fog… it's kind of… alive," he said in thought. "I doubt whatever… controls it will make it that easy, and I don't sense anything living in town, but we… we have to find the cause right? I mean if… I don't know but we… you know, probably can't get out before ending whatever this is…?"

They all jumped moments later as they heard the fierce howling coming from the town and all gave each other nervous looks before finally entering at a slow and cautious pace.

"Gods I'm glad Kiba isn't here," Kurenai couldn't help but say to nods all around.

_**To Be Continued…**_


	11. Cheer-Ninja

_**Mythical Night**_

_**Chapter XI**_

_**Cheer-Ninja**_

Sakura was running fast up the stairs to the Hokage's office, and knows she's going to be a few minutes late, but hopes nobody notices, or lets her off without punishment since she isn't too late. She doesn't think anybody could be as late as Kakashi, and hopefully she'll never be. She had never had to get up so early before, even when they were working in Wave with the bridge.

She got to the Hokage's outside office and just darted for his door while the sectary went to stop her looking angry, but she ducked down dodging the annoying woman. However, she bumped into Sakura's crouched body, and tripped with the momentum screamed as she went flying out of the open window.

"Ow," Sakura complained rubbing her ribs as she stood up straight. "Somebody should really keep that window closed," she muttered to herself as she's seen other people tossing that woman out of the window… well she's seen Naruto do it once.

"You're late!" a cold voice hissed in her ear sending a shiver of dread down her spine before she hissed in pain as a woman grabbed her hair and pulled her head back at an uncomfortable angle. "I don't have time to be wasting waiting around for a tardy bitch like you! I'm not that moron, Kakashi! I'm Anko Mitarashi, and unless I have something urgent to get to I'll always be on time, and even then I'll send word ahead of time if I'm going to be late, understand me, Pinkie?"

"Y-yes, ma'am!" she whimpered out when Anko let her go and pushed her into a wall, her eyes cool and unconcerned.

"I'll let you off this once since you threw the bitch out of the window, but make me wait again and I'll strip you naked and walk you around town on a leash!"

Sakura gulped as she shuddered, nodding her head vigorously while she got a good look at the beautiful, but scary kunoichi. Anko has light brown, pupil-less eyes, and light black hair, which has a violet tint to it, which is styled in a short, spiky, fanned-ponytail. She is wearing a tan overcoat left open with a purple in-seam, which has pockets on both sides, and complete with a fitted mesh body suit that stretches from her neck to her thighs.

She's wearing dark orange mini-skirt with a dark blue belt around her waist that connects to her skirt that has an appendage-like sash. She has her forehead protector on her forehead half hidden by some fringe, and a small pendant that looks like a snake fang on a thick cord around her neck, a wrist watch, and white shin guards over her black combat boots and ending bellow her knees.

"Let's go, Pinkie!" she said after a moment while Sakura was blushing at how revealing Anko's mesh suit is, leaving not much to the imagination. Sakura followed her down the stairs unsure what they'll be doing or why she has to go with the crazy looking woman. "The old man says you're quite the pussy-shit cheerleader, so we need to get you some new clothes, and…"

She grabbed Sakura's weapons pouch, pulled out a few kunai, and shook her head in disgust before dumping everything out into a trashcan they were passing before giving the surprised and confused pink haired girl her pouch back.

"You'll need some equipment too," she answered the un-asked question, kind of. "Where the hell did you get that junk?"

"F-from this place down town near my house," she said timidly. "M-my mum said all of the best ninja go there for their gear."

Anko just snorted. "It's that shithole… umm… Ninja-Mart… whoever came up with that was an idiot and genius because they make cheap crap and all of the lame ninja go there and waste their money. I would rather spend more and not have my blades snapping on me during a fight."

Sakura just gulped as they were moving into an older part of town before coming to a small shop. "In here, Pinkie," she said. "They sell pretty much everything you'll need at a fair price for the good quality, got it, so get in!" she demanded shoving Sakura through the door with a tinkle of the bell they entered to see Tenten sitting on the pay desk juggling several kunai.

"Hey, Anko," the bun-haired girl greeted with a grin as she caught her kunai and set them aside as she saw Sakura looking terrified. "Naruto-kun said that the Hokage was giving her away for some remedial work or something as a punishment. I'm glad you got her, she deserves no-one being too nice or she'll never learn her lesson."

Anko laughed while Sakura seemed to now understand that she's getting treated like a very slow kid needing extra help. "Yep, the old man said I can do whatever I want with her," she said wickedly, which caused the pink haired girl to pale more. "So I got rid of all the crap equipment she bought from that dive, Ninja-Mart and brought her here. I was also thinking about some new clothes."

Tenten giggled as she hoped down from the desk and walked around Sakura checking her out with a few thoughtful nods, which were freaking Sakura out as she recalled what this girl did to her last time they were together.

"Yes indeed…" she agreed with a nod as she pulled the scared pink haired girl closer to her and held her arms out to her sides. "We actually have some reinforced outfits in the cheerleading range. Our supplier sends us all sorts of odd stuff to try to sell along with our normal ranges. You should see some of the freaky stuff she forces her daughter to model for her. Some are real cute but then others are plain odd or outrageous."

Anko snorted and rolled her eyes. "OK, since this is supposed to be a punishment for slaking off and not reporting her sensei for not training her. It wouldn't be much of a punishment if I let her get some more, 'normal' ninja clothes now would it."

"Of course not," she agreed smiling while Sakura just stood how Tenten held her looking dejected to wear whatever they put her in. "Let's see," she added in thought. She ran her hands over Sakura's arms and round over her small bust causing her to flinch before her hands stopped at her stomach before she moved the split dress out of the way to see her short covered legs.

Sliding her hands around Sakura's waist the blushing pinkie let out a sigh, as she didn't continue groping. "I don't think the sizes we have will need any adjustment, but the skirts will need a belt to hold them up. She's really too skinny, no muscle mass. She needs fattening up a little… this can't be healthy."

"Yeah, you're right there," Anko agreed as she poked Sakura's tiny tummy. "We'll grab a nice big breakfast later, full of carbs."

"I… I can't… I'll get fat!" Sakura suddenly blurted out, worried.

Anko rolled her eyes while Tenten just laughed. "You'll only get fat if you carry on doing nothing, but you're being punished so rest assured that you will burn it all down, maybe you'll get some muscles on that little bod of yours too."

Tenten laughed some more as Sakura quivered and most likely wished Kakashi had cared to teach her properly so she doesn't have to be here. "Well, if you ladies will excuse me, I'll go and get the gear for her to put on and try. You can take her into the changing room, Anko and strip her naked. I'll bring it to you…"

"I can-can change myself y-you know," Sakura embarrassedly stuttered out, bright red in the cheeks.

Anko just laughed, rolling her eyes. "Yeah, yeah," she said pushing her passed the racks of weapons and standard ninja clothes. "Just get in there, strip and wait for Ten-chan to bring your new outfit. If you take too long I'll come in there and shove her kunai up your little butt-hole, got it!?"

"Y-yes ma'am," she agreed as she was shoved into the changing room with the door closing behind her.

"And that's yes, Anko-sama," she corrected with a sadistic cackle. "Or if you like sensei, understand?"

"Yes Anko-sama," she agreed muffled from behind the door while Tenten arrived holding a pile of clothes with some black trainers and a new ninja pouch on top full of some new kunai.

"She's really in for a treat with you isn't she?" she asked the older woman smirking. "Anyway, I heard a rumour that the council tried to hire you to capture this Arrow guy but you refused. I've been dying to ask you about that when I see you."

Anko couldn't help but laugh. "Yeah, why would I want to capture him?" she rhetorically asked. "I mean, the Hokage isn't asking, so I'm not going to waste my time when I'm loyal to the Hokage, not the council. If anything, I would shake the guys hand, or suck his dick," she added the last, smirking while Tenten giggled, blushing. "Anyone who can royally piss off the council this much has my respect.

"I've seen some of the ninja sent out after him," she snickered. "One of them had an electric arrow hit him right between his crack. He shit and pissed himself so much, I couldn't stop laughing. I've had to deal with a few of them getting dumped in T and I too with printed notes telling us why they're there.

"Three of them had been watching a young woman getting attacked," she said shaking her head in disgust. "From what I got out of them they had talked about having a go on her afterwards if her attackers left her alive. They were executed for treason. The Hokage may not be able to bring down the underground with the council getting in the way, but they can't stop him from executing ninja for committing acts of treason against innocent civilians."

"It's sick how much power the council has," she replied with a sigh. "Naruto-kun lives in Greyland, but he is only safe because he's a ninja and doesn't mind kicking the crap out of them. Though, now Greyland has this Arrow guy in green, Green Arrow, or whatever they're calling him now stalking its streets, crimes down enough that Naruto's started doing up his apartment block and renting out rooms."

"His blocks at the edge of Greyland, right? Near to the hospital?" she asked in thought while Tenten nodded. "So it's a pretty good location if you faction out the district. How much would the rent be for one of the apartments? My freaking landlord keeps on putting my rent up, the greedy bastard. So I'm looking for somewhere else, but because of my connection with my ex-sensei these bastards are either trying to charge me a fortune or just don't want to know. The people of this village can be jerks… well most of the wealthy one's. I've never really had any problems with the normal civilians."

"I don't know what he's charging," she replied thoughtfully. "But I know he'll give you a fair deal. He has one bedrooms, two bedrooms, and three bedrooms. I've actually been thinking of renting one myself. It's nice living with dad, but I'm a ninja now and want something for myself where I can stay and have some more freedom."

"Hey, I'll go splits on a three bedroom if the price is right," she replied thoughtfully. "This way we'll have a spare room and not have to pay as much. I bet your dad would feel better if you roomed with me… to keep Naruto at bay…"

"You mean to encourage us," she replied when the door to the changing room opened and Sakura hid behind it pocking her face out. "Oh, right," she said smiling as she stood to block anyone from seeing her (if there was anyone else in the store) and passed the clothes to the naked pinkie, checking her out a little while she blushed and took her new gear before Tenten closed the door after her.

Anko just laughed as she wandered a little to the weapons with Tenten following. "So talking about this Green Arrow guy, do you supply trick kunai too?"

"We don't make trick arrows," she replied rolling her eyes. "We could probably come up with some special kunai given some time if you want to special order them," she suggested thoughtfully. "Dads pretty good with seals, but Arrow, or whoever supplies him is a lot better than him or me, or anyone we personally know. If you want trick kunai on level with Arrow's you'll want him, or maybe Jiraiya of the Sannin."

"You can at least make exploding kunai, right?" she asked hopefully. "Paper bombs aren't anywhere near as good."

"We can at least experiment a bit, but I'll make no promises," she agreed and disagreed at the same time.

"Cool," she answered with a grin. "Hey, what's up with these tonfa?" she asked as she pulled out the white baton like things, looking them over they have some black marks along them and flat, slim line buttons on the top of the black leather bound side handles.

"Oh, them," she replied with a laugh. "If you have pretty good control you can fire chakra blasts in rapid fire. They're not very dangerous with single shots, but in rapid fire can blow the crap out of anything or anyone. They also have a pulse function when you channel chakra at the moment of contact, to preserve power and they pack a larger hit than normal."

"Wow, that's pretty cool, Pinkie will take them," she said pulling out the belt holders that comes with them.

"Are you sure?" she asked, confused. "They're a one of a kind set and this is Sakura you're talking about."

Anko shrugged with a look of thought. "I don't care, she needs something to set her apart, other than cheerleading ninja gear, talking about which, Pinkie, hurry up!" she called as they moved back to the changing room door.

"Y-you won't laugh at me will you?" Sakura asked timidly from the other side of the door.

"Probably," Anko said laughingly. "But if you don't get out here in the next five seconds I'm coming in for you!"

"OK-OK, I'm coming out," she replied timidly as the door slowly opened and she stepped out blushing brightly.

She really did look good even though Tenten and Anko were laughing at her. She wore a dark red, burgundy short-sleeved top that was loose over her body and chest but cropped above her tummy. It has twin zeros on her chest and the leaf crest on her back in black. Then it has a slim line black long sleeve top underneath, fitting her body perfectly covering her tummy and arms.

She's wearing a burgundy rippled skirt with the edges in black and hanging halfway down her thighs. It has a black belt holding it to her hips with her kunai pouch on her right hip. She has black velcro running trainers with baggy and rumpled burgundy socks up just below her knees with black straps around her shins to hold her guards in place under them, and black fingerless gloves with straps ties around her wrists to keep them taught. The whole outfit is armoured and designed for a ninja, but looks cute.

Anko smirked as she placed on the girls' tonfa and told her what they do. Sakura had never thought that she would find such comfortable ninja gear, as what she was wearing isn't anywhere near as good. She's not sure why she would need the tonfas but they do look cool, so she'll just have to learn how to use them or something.

"Wow, looking good, girl!" Tenten said smirking as she went over to her and started touching her up and checking to make sure it fits in all the right places with some breathing room, and even lifted her skirt and felt the crutch and butt on the black armoured hotpants, feeling all the contours of her area before leaving her alone to blush brightly. (She wouldn't normally bother being so p0icky about fit but she likes Anko and wants to make sure she has made a good job of kitting, Sakura out).

"Well, I think it all fits quite well," she said to Sakura and Anko. "So I'll have the rest of your ninja stuff bagged up and delivered to your house by this evening because I doubt Anko will want you carrying it all with you," she finished off to the pink haired girl. "I'll set up an account so you'll be able to pay for it in instalments."

Sakura sighed and looked sad as all of her money is going to be spent here for the next several months. Though, she knows it could be worse, so she won't complain. It's good quality, and she had looked over the kunai. It's amazing how much better quality they are that even she can tell. Then looking over the price tags realised they're not too much dearer anyway, but they're not skimping on materials to make money.

"Well, later Ten-chan," Anko said with a wicked grin. "But Pinkie and I have to get going, get some breakfast, and then it's onto teaching her a few things," she said waving as she dragged the pink haired girl out of the store.

Tenten shrugged as she stretched when her large built father entered the store from out back looking sleepy and wearing some shorts and a tee shirt, (his nightclothes). He yawned as he looked to her before smiling.

"Ten-chan, I'm hungry, what's for breakfast?" he asked sleepily. This gave her even more reason to get her own place. He needs to learn to remember how to take care of himself again; he relies on her too much, especially when she's home, but even then she leaves a few lunches for him in the fridge.

She groaned and rolled her eyes. "Whatever the hell you make yourself, dad, you are seriously lazy. Heck, Naru-kun has come here a few times and made ME breakfast… why do you have to be such a troublemaker…?"

"We all can't be saints like Naruto-kun," he said chuckling nervously. "Anyway, who was just here…? And why are we open so early?"

She just shook her head, exasperated. "It was Anko with Sakura, and we're open because Anko sent me a missive yesterday to open up early. I didn't know she was bringing Sakura with her, but it's kind of funny. Anko is punishing Sakura for the Hokage for not training, so now Sakura will be near dead at the end of each day."

"Wow, she must have really pissed off Hiruzen," he said in surprise. "Now that's a hard feat. He is notoriously patient."

"Yeah yeah, whatever, dad," she replied locking the shop door before she moved and walked passed her father. "I'll make you some cereal and toast, nothing more…"

"Great, thanks sweetie…"

Sakura felt self-conscious as she followed Anko after their huge breakfast through town and got lots of looks from people setting up their stalls for the day. However, she was thankful that they soon passed by into other areas and then out into the training grounds with a large pond, miles away from anywhere. She was actually exhausted getting there.

"OK, Pinkie, let's get you started with some, chakra control, and chakra growth," Anko said as they finally stopped. "So that means some water walking, which means either getting your new clothes soaking wet or stripping naked, either way I don't care, now hurry up!"

Ino Yamanaka was just taking a stroll through the training grounds with the hope of finding something to do with Vine ridding her shoulder. It's so boring without Naruto to entertain her, or at least start a fight with those douchy Kumo ninja. She had heard the jerks had tried to kidnap Hinata's little sister, and if not for Arrow would have. Though, no one seems able to do anything about them.

She started a minute later as she heard a screech and a splash, so she quickly ran to the sound. However, seeing Sakura wearing a cheer outfit and soaking wet as she pulled herself out of the pond made her burst out laughing.

Sakura blushed and felt thankful that she hadn't gone naked, and she had been tempted as she knows this training field is far from anyone. "Dam, girl, Ten-chan said you might be in for some punishment," she said looking to Anko, amused before back to Sakura. "You should be a good girl like me and perhaps you wouldn't get into trouble."

The pink haired cheerleader pout glared at the blonde. "I bet you can't walk on water either, can you?" she demanded causing Ino to pause.

"Don't worry blondie, you can join her," Anko said smirking as she pushed the blonde girl into the pond with a splash.

"Not funny," she said as she swam back to shore while Anko laughed at the two soaking girls as she realised punishing slackers is really quite fun.

"OK, I'll show you both one last time…" she said whistling so off tune that it hurt Ino's ears.

Ino watched the exercise but also paid more attention to the whistling. She just had to wonder. Whistling is in essence just blowing air. She wondered whether she could come up with a wind technique that uses the sound more than just the wind. She has taken the element test, and wind is her element. It held merit and she wants Naruto to be proud of her, so she got to thinking about how to work her technique and then how to do it without hand-seals. It's all about the determination, Naruto tells her.

Two people snuck in the shadows across the rooftops of Konoha during the late evening, the sky darkening, one a small woman/girl and the other a huge set muscle bound man. They were heading in the direction their source said the Hyuuga girl now takes home from training at the Ninja Academy.

However, they didn't know that they were being followed until a small dart like arrow nearly hit the girl and sliced into a chimney as she barely dodged. They turned to see a girl/young woman behind them holding duel crossbows coloured dark purple and black. The crossbows reloaded themselves as she stood aiming the weapons for a second volley.

She's wearing dark purple combat hipsters and a tight black top with black boots and a holster on each thigh for her crossbows and a dagger in the back of each. She has a long dark purple battle robe on with black flames at the bottom by her ankles. She's wearing black gloves, but her hood is down showing her brown hair loose and untamed down to her shoulders. She has a dark purple, thick/wide mask around her brown eyes and over her forehead, bridging over her nose.

"What the fucking hell is wrong with this town?" the girl covered in black demanded as she cautiously eyed the interloper. "Is this whole town crawling with unchecked freaks in costumes, trying to stop us?"

"Possibly," the girl in purple answered with a harsh voice as she readied to fight. "But then, maybe it's my duty to stop a couple of Kumo ninja from sneaking around my town while heading in the direction of the mini-Hyuuga!"

"Who the hell do you think you are?" the girl growled out demandingly.

"Me… I'm just your hunter," she replied; her eyes cold enough that they might have frozen if she had an ice bloodline. "I may not be able to take you in to T and I, but I can get in your way, or if I'm lucky, kill you!"

She didn't wait around as she opened fire, her enemies dodging. However, while they fought they hadn't noticed they had a witness of three kids after they jumped up onto the roof having seen the suspicious people in black. The woman in purple fired more arrows, a few of them blowing up as she kept her distance from the two Kumo ninja.

"Whoa!" Konohamaru said to his two friends Udon and Moegi as they watched the new girl taking on the bad guys. "That is awesome; I wonder whether she knows Arrow… it will be awesome if he turns up too. If they're those Kumo ninja they'll get captured or killed."

"I think they're trying to kidnap Hanabi again," Moegi said, hushed. "I heard they've tried once already and that Arrow stopped them and rescued her. She's been acting oddly since then, and hasn't been her arrogant self. She was actually nice to me. I've been wondering what's going on in her head now."

"Yeah, but whose this woman?" Konohamaru asked, though he didn't expect an answer he got a guessing answer anyway.

"Hunter?" Udon suggested in thought as he heard her say she's a hunter.

"No silly," Moegi answered rolling her eyes. "She's a girl, so Huntress. She's going to go after all the bad guys. She's so cool."

"She's not as cool as The Green Arrow!" Konohamaru said with a smug look while Udon nodded in agreement, but Moegi wouldn't listen as she found herself a new role model.

_**To Be Continued…**_


	12. The Phantasm of the Grey Hill

_**Mythical Night**_

_**Chapter XII**_

_**The Phantasm of the Grey Hill**_

Naruto wasn't sure about the whole, let's split up idea while in a spooky creep-fest of a possibly haunted and very deserted town. He had thought about warning them of the possibility of a witch, but he shook that off, they are ninja after all so they should be prepared for anything.

However, as he gave Hinata a reassuring smile, the deed has been done and he and Hinata are no longer with the others. Kurenai had partnered with Shino, while Tsume had gone off with her dog leaving him with Hinata holding his arm and terrified. This way works out well as he'll get some one on one time with Hinata, and though she isn't as shy as she was and actually fights back now, she's still timid and needs some reality served to her, so this is a good place to be with her.

He looked around the spooky town trying to sense any life, but all he got was nothing. It's all a blank. The fog is blocking off his senses, as he couldn't even sense the rest of their team. The fog is obscuring the sky and they can't really see more than several feet around them. They would rather not be in this town, and Naruto could smell death everywhere.

It made him grimace as it was becoming obvious that the town is a death town, and its most likely not long gotten that status. He had to keep alert as he kept getting a paranoid feeling that they aren't alone even if he can't sense anything living, not even a plant as they walked passed a wittered and dead street tree, and some flowers in window boxes.

"Kind of… nice place huh, Hinata-chan?" he suddenly asked making her jump as they walked along the centre of a street with closed shops either side with the odd cracked or broken windows.

She just gave him a look that said otherwise. He sighed and before she knew it ripped her from his arm and turned her to face him. He needs to make sure she'll watch her own back at least because he can't take care of her if he gets into a fight with something.

He'll need her help, and he's spared with her enough to know she is talented and fast, and when encouraged can even free-style her families techniques. He's really impressed with how well she can bastardize her families prized gentle fist taijutsu.

It will be highly amusing to see what her father would look like seeing her actually fight after Naruto had given her some pointers he had gotten from fighting with Kyuu. It's all really about letting your instincts have free reign while at the same time keeping your eyes open.

He had also made it clear that just because she has the byakugan doesn't mean she should use it like it's all she has. If anything, things like her eyes should be the ACE in her backup arsenal. There if she needs that boost of power and technique. If she relies on everything her family teaches so arrogantly she'll never improve on her own merits.

"I know you're scared, Hinata-chan," he said after a few moments thought. "I'm scared too, but I'm not going to let my own fear or yours get us killed. You may think of yourself like Kiba does, or your family does like a pussy-shit weakling, but I know you are strong and powerful, and that given the opportunity you can do anything you set yourself too.

"I've seen how talented you can be, and with advice you've stopped relying on what other people think of you, and you've been showing so much improvement. So don't let your fear get the best of you now. If you weren't afraid I would think you're crazy and potentially suicidal, but you have to overcome your fear as I am, and the others are.

"I bet both Tsume and Kurenai are both just as scared as us and they're older and experienced. It's our fear that helps us out a lot, because without it we wouldn't recognise any danger that we have to overcome.

"If only you believe, don't cower no matter what. You should stand up proud despite your fear, and know that those people who put you down and treat you like crap don't hold a candle to you. Don't hesitate Hinata-chan, and don't ever, ever hold back… when you're striking, don't let your enemy up, kill them without mercy or hesitation because they can and will do a lot worse…

"Shh…!" he quietened her with his finger gently brushing her soft lips with a gentle smile. "I'm not saying it isn't hard, but its time you stop standing in the shadow of others, don't try to please your father or sensei or even me, don't rely on what you know, but more importantly continue learning whatever, and whenever.

"I want you to be proud of yourself and to see the way life is. You're a ninja, and you must become deadly when you need to be and keep an open, clear mind… be your own awesome, Hinata-chan and you don't have to be afraid anymore!"

"B-but I don't know whether I know how, Naruto-kun," she said looking down to her sandaled feet. She spoke surprising calm as her pretty eyes looked around the creepy street.

"You don't need to know how," he replied tilting her face to look at him. He leant down and her cheeks flushed as his lips touched hers for such a gentle kiss. Her eyes had closed lightly while she felt the pressure before he pulled back and they opened to looking into his soft blue eyes. "Just follow your heart and instincts; you've already gotten over your fainting, and improved your fighting confidence in leaps and bounds. I'll believe in you know matter what."

She couldn't stop the small smile as her heart pounded in her chest when they were startled as something clanged to the ground behind them and spun around. They could see a shadowed figure in the darkness of the building as it slowly moved towards them with a soft groaning and gargled noise.

"I… I think it's a person," Hinata whispered as she controlled herself better than she had ever thought she could. If its Naruto who believes in her, she will do him proud and not cower anymore, no matter how nice it was to hold Naruto like she was. "H-hello…!?" she called out as she made to move forward.

However, Naruto stopped her with his hand on her stomach. "Look again, whatever that is smells… like its rotting!"

She paused as veins bulged around her eyes for only a moment before she grimaced back looking sickened. "N-Naruto-kun…" she said shakily. "It's a man… but he looks like he's a walking dead person."

He didn't have a chance to respond as some monstrous hiss came from it and it charged out with scraps of clothes hanging off its cut up and grey skin, and white eyes and a blank-hungry look.

They both jumped back as Naruto plastered it with several kunai in its body. However, that didn't even slow it down. "D-don't let it bite or scratch you, Naruto-kun," Hinata cried out as it came for him. However, it went down as Hinata split its skull with a kunai and it dropped dead at his feet.

Naruto looked to her in surprise. "My kunai didn't even slow it down, and what would happen if it bit me?"

"Y-you become one," she said as she hurried to his side. "I-I've read fictional story books about them. I think it's a zombie, but I never thought they were real. You have to destroy the brain as that controls the body and without it they properly die, or at least don't get up again."

"I see… well I guess we know what happened to the people of this town," he replied as he took her hand and started moving. "Let's get out of here before more turn up… you wouldn't think it's around midday would you," he said nervously.

"Umm… it is really dark, but we'll be fine together," she said before they paused as the ground shook. They looked to their feet to see the cobbled stone path was now dirt and it was swirling around them.

"Shit," Naruto hissed out as he jumped up and to the banister of a balcony above a coffee shop. "Hinata…!" he cried out as the mud had trapped her swirling round like a whirlpool covering her whole body but just creeping up her cheeks and face. "Remember, you are not weak, you are your own power!"

Hinata had been panicking and struggling until she heard Naruto's words. His words flooded her heart as she realised he really does have faith in her. She relaxed as she was completely entombed by the dirt.

Naruto watched in worry for just over a minute near ready to dive in the moment he senses her chakra level drop any further. However, he wasn't ready for it to spike and for what had to be fifty blasts of wind like chakra to burst out in different direction smashing through the mud and splaying it all over.

Hinata landed in a cracked up cobble stone street, windows smashed and covered in dirt. Her clothes are ripped up and her coat is practically hanging off her by a thread and looks to have been burnt away. She was breathing heavily with eyes that held shock and awe. She wasn't even in any kind of fighting stance, which made Naruto's grin widen impossibly.

He was about to jump down when she skipped back and away several times as the mud started swirling again and re-converged before streaking towards her like a wave. She grits her teeth as she moved back around fluid like water as she moved around, her eyes closed as she concentrated. Her hands moved round, cupping with a large gap between them.

Naruto watched in shock as he saw some sparks of blue chakra dancing between her hands like a blue light storming the faster she moved before she paused, her eyes flashing open, dangerous and cold. Her arms outstretched, her cupped fingertips near touching the attacking mud as they cupped open.

The sparks bust into a spherical shape of light and in a pulse smashed straight through all of the mud and sprayed it everywhere before smashing into a shop window, shattering the glass before hitting something inside with a boom and then exploding, setting the shop on fire.

Hinata fell to her knees panting for breath just looking at her slightly singed fingers with her mouth near open, eyes wide and exhausted. Naruto had a similar look as he stared down at her, and looked over at what she had done. He had never seen an attack like that before, and looking at her knew she hadn't either. She had really relied on her instincts and created a new move on the spot, and by the look of it using her own style.

However, he hadn't the chance to hop down and congratulate her as they could only watch as the dirt started moving again, but this time a chilling high pitched laugh came from it startling them. The mud then swirled around with a powerful wind and started forming a seven-foot talk mud man with huge muscles, but he didn't harden, the mud remained moist.

The man looked like it was about to say something when Naruto just swished out between him and Hinata with red flames splashing around behind his grit teeth before he sucked them back as he took a deep breath, which caused the mud man to stop looking so amused and look resigned instead.

Naruto blew out a huge flamethrower of red and orange flames that melted the cobbled street and the glass of shop windows it was wide enough to set shops and homes alight while it baked the mud man. He let up his attack and looked at the mess he had caused, the shops ablaze and the mud man crumbled with a simple shuriken.

He sighed with a smile as he turned and helped Hinata up to her feet, as she needed a breather, the huge fires he set lighting the street through the fog as it looked to retract from the flames. He didn't know what that meant, but maybe fire is the fogs enemy or something like that.

He then got a shock as he really paid attention to Hinata now she could stand after spending all that chakra. Her dark blue tee shirt was torn enough to show bandages wrapped around what would certainly be a nice bust, but the bandages are making her seem flat while wearing a jacket like hers, but if he were to guess, she is bigger than any girl from their class.

"That was awesome, Hinata-chan," he told her after a moment of staring with a wicked grin that turned sheepish.

She was surprised as she looked to him from the blazing fires as she was going to congratulate him on his fire technique. She had never seen such a huge fire move like that before when she realised what he was looking at with her arms flying up to cover herself, which made her coat finally fall away.

"Y-you really think so?" she finally asked, bright red in the cheeks and hoping he doesn't mention anything else.

"Of course," he readily agreed. "And Hinata-chan, embarrassment can get you killed. I've took note of the beauties you're packing and doing that is most certainly hampering your movement and breathing, so from now on you won't go out of your way to hide the fact you are a beautiful girl with a beautiful female body, understand?"

She looked down in both shame and embarrassment before letting her arms drop, her cheeks red but she nodded vigorously anyway. "I-I'm sorry Naruto-kun," she said looking up at him with watery eyes. "I-it's just, just that… I don't like…"

"People staring at you?" he asked her, understanding, and she nodded. "If people stare they stare… you are awesome and shouldn't pretend to anyone. You can just ignore the rude jerks," he said pulling her into his arms before leaping them both onto a roof the other side of the fires. "Let's go and see whether we can find you a new coat or something, shall we, hopefully some clothes your size too?"

She nodded with a smile as he held her hand and tried to ignore the zombies he took them from as they hopped from rooftop to rooftop until they landed on a terrace of a large and regal looking house quite a way from the fire he set. The window door led into a large bedroom and she was surprised that Naruto didn't break the window but picked the lock.

"After you Milady," Naruto said with a smirk and he held the door open for her. She couldn't help but blush as she entered the large bedroom. Naruto followed and looking around its obvious, the room had belonged to a young woman.

However, they hadn't a moment to look around when both Naruto and Hinata almost jumped back out of the window as a girl not taller than Hinata with short messy brown over her ears and down to her neck. She has silver eyes wearing and light blue kimono barefoot with a large darker blue sash around her waist tied in a large elegant bow behind her and a blue headband on top of her head. She was up close, her face in theirs glaring at them each in turn with Hinata hiding behind Naruto, rightfully freaked out.

"Oh great!" she said in anger. "I can't even die properly, and now a couple of idiots are braking into my room to rob me!" she said angrily as she went and swiped at Naruto to slap him only for her hand to pass through him.

Naruto could only stare at her in shock as she just went on ranting angrily. He could kind of… well sense her while she's so close, and when her hand passed through him it felt cool and made his skin quiver with goose bumps.

He looked closer and grimaced as he realised she is so pale she doesn't look like she has blood in her, which is likely true. However, on the right side of her neck is a huge wound of teeth marks with dripping blood that soaked her right sleeve, and down her arm staining some of her hand in a few places. Naruto knew what this could be, but didn't know how to help her.

"I'm so sorry," he suddenly said, which caused her to stop yelling at him and really look at him for a moment before looking away. He looked over to a built in closet up against one wall, he could see blood leaking from under the door, she grimaced as she, and Hinata just watched him walk over and pull the door open.

The closet was just a place that stored some games, and old toys, but it was her lifeless body lying bloodied on the floor that took his attention, and he looked back at the girl while she looked away. He really noticed now that she doesn't have the kind of substance that a human would and it made him feel sick as he crouched down.

However, both the 'girl' and Hinata screeched as the body suddenly moved and lunched at Naruto, but he just moved his left hand in the way, the girl bit in, but with his chakra, her teeth weren't strong enough to do more than pierce his skin, drawing blood. She was hissing, and her eyes pure white with blood shot red.

He looked back to see how terrified Hinata looked but looking to the 'girl' she couldn't look away, her eyes large and bubbling with tears that he knew she couldn't shed. "You shouldn't watch this," Naruto said softly. However, she couldn't look away, but Hinata surprised him as she moved in the way, tears flowing from her eyes.

Naruto turned back to the 'girls' body and in one swift movement snapped her delicate neck. He could practically feel the twin flinches from behind as the huge crack reverberated around the room before all was silent. He picked up the body gently and he moved her onto the bed and carefully wrapped her in a sheet.

"T-thank you," the girl whispered quietly as he looked to her. "I… I was bitten by the window," she said shakily. "It didn't have much of a grip and feel off the balcony. I just ran and hid, but I guess I was already dead because, I've watched for a few days now, when it started… one bite, and then…" she trailed off looking to Naruto's bloody hand.

"N-Naruto-kun," Hinata said in panic, her eyes watering more. "It, I mean… you were bitten."

Naruto laughed and rolled his eyes. "A monster's venom won't kill me, Hinata chan," he said smiling but she just didn't look convinced. "I am the Jinchuuriki of the Kyuubi no Kitsune, barer of a power far greater than the walking dead. I can already feel my blood destroying the venom with ease."

"O-Oh, Naruto-kun," she said as she went to throw herself into his arms but he stopped her.

"I don't want to get this stuff on you, Hinata-chan," he said to reassure her.

"T-that's why the villagers… they know…"

"Yeah," he agreed with a shrug. "But I've finally started coping with that crap and getting over it. They can be morons all they want, but generally I believe a lot of people in Konoha are smart enough that given the opportunity they will realise jealous, selfish pieces of shit have just led them astray."

"I know what a Jinchuuriki is," the girl suddenly said looking at him in awe. "I hear they're prisons… living prisons for the greatest monsters on the planet, the Bijuu, then you have the power to stop them, to get our revenge!" she begged hopefully.

Naruto sighed as he sat on the edge of the bed looking at her while her hope diminished as his blue eyes just held a sadness before looking down for a moment while he wiped his hand clean on the bed sheets to show it had fully healed over. "I cannot get your revenge," he said as he reached out and so gently touched her cool hand, almost really feeling it. "But I will bring you, justice, and take whatever Dark Sorcerer did this out!"

Her hope returned, as she really looked at him her pale cheeks tinting a duller white. "T-thank you, N-Naruto-kun isn't it?"

He smiled and nodded. "Yeah," he quickly agreed. "And this is Hinata-chan, and together, we'll put an end to this… what's your name?"

"M-my name is, Yukina Shiratori, but you can just call me Yukina or Yuki for short if you like," she answered brightening a little. Though, how bright can you get when you've just died, and know your body turned into a zombie and some stranger just snapped your neck. "Why exactly are you guys in my room anyway?"

"Oh," he said nervously rubbing the back of his neck. "We were here to look for some new clothes for Hinata-chan."

She looked over the other girl surprised she didn't notice how ruined her clothes are as she nodded her head, sighing. "OK, OK, you can have whatever you need; it isn't like I'll be needing them being a freaking ghost."

"R-really, you don't mind?" she asked in surprise.

"Na," she answered again, shrugging. "I don't mind at all, like I said I can't wear them anymore, so go ahead. I have a few things that would look great on you, but…" she looked closer. "Wow, your boobs are huge compared to mine," she said sadly, as she squeezed her small chest while Hinata looked uncomfortable and blushed. "But I have some things that were too big in that area, they might be a little tight still, but I think that will look great."

She then turned to Naruto. "Ok, Naruto-kun, you can help me pull the things out of my wardrobe while, Hinata-chan gets out of her rags…"

"B-but I…" Hinata stuttered out blushing worse than ever, her heart pounding painfully in her chest just thinking about it.

Naruto hopped up from the bed and glanced out at the small town to see the street crawling with zombies, and a huge fire still blazing down the street they were in earlier. He just shook his head and turned back to them.

"I think it would be best not to go outside," he said giving her a look.

Yuki nodded her head too. "And leaving the room will mean having to deal with those in the house," she said looking out of the window. "And I'll guess that you guys set that street on fire, and don't want to do that inside."

"She has a point, Hinata-chan," he agreed rolling his eyes at his friend/girlfriend. "I told you to quit being too embarrassed. It could get you hurt. I'm not going to just stare at you no matter how hot your bod no-doubt is, OK?"

She was still blushing but nodded her head, still scarlet cheeked. "O-OK, Naruto-kun, Yuki-chan…"

"Let's see now," Yuki said looking around as Naruto opened the closet and draws for her. "This jacket," she said as he pulled out a thin leather yellow jacket. "It should fit fine, now these hipster trousers," she said as he pulled out the beige slacks. "And this sports top thingy will be a little tight, but better than those bandages, they're way too tight. Then we have this cute black top and finally, I've never actually worn these boots before… she looks about the same size as me, so…"

They had turned around to see Hinata just waiting, naked, turned around but Naruto could admire her great ass as he gulped and placed the stuff on the bed next to his blushing partner, and adjusting himself. His eyes flickered to see a mirror to one side at the right angle to see her beautiful and firm breasts, and her very large stiff pink nipples before he turned away to see Yuki giving him a look while Hinata started getting dressed.

"B-but, my sandals are fine, Naruto-kun," she stuttered out, which caused him to look around just as she was pulling on the hipsters, and getting a glimpse of her lovely looking area from behind before looking away, Yuki giving him a knowing look but choosing not to say anything.

"Y-yeah, well, boots are better," he replied as he tried to be the gentleman and not take any extra peaks at her wonders. "Toes are really fragile, so it makes sense to protect them."

"Oh, I see," she replied and didn't say anything more for a short while. "I'm… I'm finished now," she finally continued.

Naruto turned and gave Yuki a look as she had watched the whole thing complimenting Hinata, and he couldn't help but agree that with her bust defined in this outfit she looks splendid. He smiled at her while her cheeks had lightened to a soft pink. The clothes hugged her perfectly and made him smile as she looked down at her prominent chest and fidgeting with her fingers.

"Now that's the Hinata-chan I want to see more often," he said grinning at her softly. "The strong and awesome Hinata-chan who won't let other people stop her from being who she can be…!"

"Thank you, Naruto-kun," she said with a sweet smile. "You've been so kind to me even though I was, when I thought you didn't know I was… you know…"

"It's fine, Hinata-chan," he said smiling. "As long as you remember, from now on, you just come and hang out with me, or cuddle if you like."

"She's your stalker?" Yuki suddenly interrupted looking both amused and with hearts in her eyes as she realised what went unsaid. "That's kind of sweet in a weird kind of way, if it were the other way around it would be creepy. And why haven't I passed over to the other side yet?"

Naruto looked to her with Hinata, shrugging. "I don't know," he said looking thoughtful. "Maybe you have unfinished stuff to do or something, or maybe you can't rest without your murders being brought to justice… or at least killed."

"Damn," she said pumping her right fist into her left palm. "What the hell am I going to do until then? I can't even touch anything; it's going to be highly annoying!"

"You know that a soul bound to the Earth like this is made up of kinetic energy, right?" he asked while she shook her head and looked confused and Hinata looked just as confused. He sighed rolling his eyes, but then he has an ancient being to chat to at night for a month or more, most nights that knows a lot of things. "It means you're made up of psychic energy, which with some practice will allow you to do things like… I don't know the particulars but it should allow you to touch things, turn invisible, all of the normal ghostly pros I guess."

"Oh, well, thanks for the heads up," she said smiling softly. "Naruto-kun, Hinata-chan, after… when… well, I'll be gone so… can you both get my body and give me a proper burial, please?"

"Yeah, of course," Naruto agreed with a sad smile while Hinata nodded her agreement. "It will be beautiful, but very small… I think…"

"I know all of my family is dead," she said sadly. "But just you and Hinata-chan would be great, thank you."

"You're welcome," Hinata said trying not to start crying. "We'll make sure to do our best for you."

"I know you will," she said with a smirk. "Though, if you do die, you can come haunt my house with me if you want!"

"We'll try better than that," Naruto said as he opened the door to the balcony and stepped out with Hinata before looking back. "Rest in peace… Yukina Shiratori-chan," he finished closing the door behind them to look down at the zombies and groan.

"L-looks like we'll have to get passed them first," Hinata said as she took one last glance at Yukina to see her waving sadly before looking back to the zombies with a tired sigh.

_**To Be Continued…**_


	13. Into the Fire

_**Mythical Night**_

_**Chapter XIII**_

_**Into the Fire**_

Naruto and Hinata had jumped up across a couple roofs away from the zombie infestation with the odd one trying to jump up to get them. They didn't really pay that much care about them as they were easily shoved down if they got up and broke their legs with the fall so they couldn't try again… well they could try, they just wouldn't get far.

They watched out and looked toward the large temple in the distance when they came to a stop as they came across some girly looking man, taller than Naruto of about 17 sitting on a chimney. Though, to be honest Naruto thought he was a girl before taken a better look and a sniff of the air to determine that he is a guy.

He was just sitting with a slouch looking mildly bored while he was smoking what Naruto knew was weed from the sweet scent and the cool look in his golden eyes. He's wearing a white ruffled shirt with only the bottom half of the buttons undone, and a black pair of trousers and a red jacket left undone, and last some black shoes.

His short ruffled hair is a brilliant red, like the colour of blood and it both worked and clashed with his brilliantly pale skin colour. His fingernails are sharper than one would expect from a man, and as he looked to them, his brilliantly red lips curved up into a smile, showing fanged teeth.

"Oh, great, a vampire," Naruto said in frustration as they came to a stop. "I guess we're not going to get any piece, at least Yukina-chan is a good ghost."

"And who says I'm not a good vampire?" he asked in a smooth as velvet voice that has a mesmerising quality that they had to shake off. Naruto was actually surprised that rather than giving in or at least letting her guard down; Hinata was glaring at the vampire. "Allow me to introduce myself," he continued smiling. "I am Duke Gaius Maxwell at your service!" he said as he hopped down from his seat and bowed before taking a drag on his joint.

"You know smoking's bad for…" Naruto began before sighing. "I guess for you it doesn't matter much, even with the pot."

"Of course not," he agreed chuckling as he took another drag. "So, we have an interesting predicament… really I don't want to hurt either of you, but… orders are orders. I can't let you go any further, but I could possibly let you just travel back. I don't really want to capture you, either of you. I don't know what sick, twisted crap runs through my Mistresses mind, so I can't guarantee she won't torture and kill you in the end, just for her own personal pleasure.

"I'm a blood drinking monster and I think some of the things she does is gross, like what's she's done to this town," he said lazily gesturing the street around them as they could hear the dopy sounds from the zombies. "But, if you want to go on, I shall not offer you this chance to flee again."

"Sorry man, but no matter what we choose we'll be going on," Naruto replied with a shrug. "Not only shall I bring justice to these people but she won't let us leave, and we'll end up fighting anyway."

He nodded his head in agreement, as he flicked his joint away over the roof where it would land in amongst the zombies. "I guess it's best to do things sooner rather than later," he said as he flittered straight at Naruto.

He jumped back, skidded back as he landed, and curved round in a skid with his momentum while Hinata jumped out of the way and watched. "Hinata-chan, this is my fight," he warned her when she dodged a kick to the head as a blank, black skeletal masked woman turned up carrying a huge black bone like scythe with large blade. The large spine like handle and pole is sectioned, bends, and moves as she swings it.

Hinata dodged back again and nearly got speared as the scythe head/blade switched out and went straight before she pulled it back, it switched back to normal. The weapon near larger than the woman wielding it is.

"W-who are you?" Hinata asked as she dodged right and left to avoid being sliced in two, which looks like a possibility as the scythe melted through a chimney slicing it in two. She realised the woman isn't going to speak as she moved back, dancing around the attacking blade, only glancing to Naruto as he fought the vampire.

Naruto growled as he saw Hinata under attack as he blocked a few punches and swung out a kick, only knocking Gaius back with a grunt. "Who is she, and what does…" she dodged as Gaius came in for the attacked smashing Naruto in the face, spilling blood as he bounced along the roof top, shattering tires before skidding off and crashing into a swarm of zombies.

Hinata had seen the whole thing as she stopped dodging for a moment, but swerved around the blade at the last second in her anger, and grabbed the spine-like pole. It made her shudder with the cold and empty feeling she got from it, but ignoring that she slid into the woman's guard and punched her in the stomach.

However, Hinata felt the punch for a second, and heard the grunt of pain before it was as if she wasn't in her battle robe anymore when the robe turned to smog and she fell right through falling to the ground. She landed on her hands and moved the second she hit, barely feeling the foot clip her cheek before back flipping with her hands, spinning round to avoid the blade she hit down with momentum on all fours, skidding back to a stop having broken up many of the tiles, shattering them.

Her eyes glared at the woman with the scythe, as she didn't try to attack again, but seemed to observe her, standing proud she let Hinata get her breath back. They stared each other down, watching, wary. Hinata moved her stance for the fight, taking some deep breaths, she closed her eyes softly when she heard her opponent charge, she moved, her hands spinning round, cupped.

She span and dodged with just sparks of blue chakra dancing in her hands, she weaved through and under the scythe without opening her eyes or activating her bloodline limit. She hit her enemy just under the breasts as a solid fist smashed into her face. Hinata's attack pulsed blue causing the scythe woman to gasp out and make a strangled noise of pain while Hinata cried out as blood blast out from her mouth as they both went flying in different directions.

They both managed to righten themselves, crashing down on different rooftops, blood drooling from Hinata's mouth, a little higher and she might have caused some real damage. However, looking Hinata actually took pleasure at seeing red drooling out from the woman's mask, which may prove she's human.

Though, that isn't what concerned her, it was the way the chakra was pushed out of the woman's fist, it made her jaw and lips feel numb. This couldn't be good, this woman might have been holding back before because she didn't want to waste energy on her. However, Hinata may have never realised her strengths before, and it took her awhile, but this woman now knows she can't afford to hold back.

Hinata was panting hard as she tried not to worry about Naruto as she knows the zombies can't turn him, and knows he's strong enough to take care of them. She has her own problems right now. So far this woman has shown high genin to low chunin talent as far as Hinata can tell, but it can only get harder from here… she could use a miracle to get her through this fight with only the numb face and split lips.

Meanwhile, Gaius was looking down into the zombie hoard with a roll of his eyes before a giant tornado of bright and hot flames blew the street apart, shaking the ground, shattering windows and causing flammable stuff to blow. Gaius jumped back quickly as he felt the singing. The burning tornado reached up, taller than the buildings by several feet.

The zombie menace was screaming and roaring as they spun around in the flames. Gaius could see the walking dead as they were turned to dust, his golden eyes open wide in shock and horror as he realised he had really underestimated this kids power, and didn't like going up against a fire user.

It took a few moments for the fire to splash away and Naruto jumped through the dying embers singed and covered in blood from the zombies. His crystal blue eyes are cold and dangerous as he landed on the roof with a crash leaving the street behind him in flames, back dropping him as if the very Will of Fire stood to his beck and call as he spat out a glob of blood.

"Ready for round two," the blonde genin demanded as he shook off his pain, trying to stay standing, he growled out in anger, his eyes with a red hue that could even start scaring the immaculate and ancient vampire.

"You're pretty strong kid, but I have years of experience on you!" he retorted as he regained his composure.

Hinata was relieved to see Naruto getting out of his trouble relatively unscathed, but wondered whether this town will be standing by the time he's finished with it. She could see her opponent glance over that way and took the opportunity to strike, shooting across the roof, tearing up ties.

She jumped and weaved onto the scythe woman's roof just as she looked back, they moved into each other, dodging and weaving around each other, trying to hit the other. Hinata pulled out a kunai to block the scythe blade but it sunk into her knife, but that was enough for Hinata to let go and move in.

The scythe went flying out of the woman's hand as Hinata hit it was a chakra strike causing it to go numb. The woman looked over as her scythe span through the air and crashed its blade straight into the roof holding it in place. This left her open and she barely dodged Hinata's right kick to her face.

However, she blocked with her arm and a grunt before she moved with a familiar strike, but Hinata flipped back curving her body at an impossible angle, her foot then connecting with the scythe woman's chin, cracking her mask. She flipped back onto her feet, skidding back as the mask cracked into two and fell off in two pieces.

Hinata wasn't as surprised as she thought she should have been to see a young Hyuuga woman with her cold byakugan active with protruding veins over her cheeks. She pulled down her hood to show short black hair. However, looking Hinata could see her forehead but no seal of enslavement she hates to see on the branch family.

"Hinata-sama!" she hissed out spitefully. "It's been such a long time little cousin, ever since my father was murdered instead of yours, all because you were such a pathetic, weak bitch that you get yourself kidnaped!"

Hinata's eyes widened as her eyes scanned this woman in shock. "Y-your, Haiku, Neji's older sister?" she asked in shock. "B-but you're supposed to be dead…"

She snorted and sneered. "No, they just didn't want anyone knowing that after my father's murder by yours that I ran away before those pathetic murdering family-abusers could enslave me, and I've gotten stronger, but I need to get even stronger so I can avenge my family and destroy the main branch."

Hinata looked her over for a moment and sighed. "I don't care about them… and honestly I agree with you," she said surprising her. "My father blames me too… when I was five a jonin from Cloud nearly kidnaped me, but my father rescued me and killed this jonin, and then yours, his twin brother died as repentance to stop a war in his stead. However, me… I was not at fault! Kumo was at fault, the selfish pieces of shit!

"And if you want revenge against me for what NO five year old could have prevented, then I will not go down easily!" she hissed out letting out killing intent on just instinct as her byakugan blazed to life, her eyes near glowing. "I'm sick of everyone blaming me all the time! I shall no longer be a fucking weakling because of the way my father and family put me down, treat me like crap because of what happened to me!

"I was the fucking victim!" she hissed out pure venom, which cause Haiku to take an involuntary step back as Hinata's byakugan blazed harder, all over her eyes sparkling with silver in her anger as a swirl of wind picked up around her. "Ever since then my father blames me, and because of that I had grown weak because of his put downs, and everyone else uses it as an excuse to pick on me, to put down the heir, because I choose to be kind.

"Now, I shall no longer let you fucks get away with blaming me for your fucked up lives when it's not my fault! I lost my mother that night, yet nobody gives a shit, and now, those bastard Kumo shits are trying it again with my little sister! NO MORE!"

She exploded with wind before disappearing. Haiku could only watch in horror as Hinata appeared out of nowhere, her fist smashing into her gut causing her to scream in agony, tears in her eyes. Hinata didn't stop there, she head-butted her right in the nose causing blood to explode out with her crying.

Hinata then grabbed the woman by her hair and smashed her into the roof by her head, then pulling her back and crashing her down again, blood spilling as she let go, pulling her right foot back and crashing it powerfully into the woman's chest. The roof exploded under the force, the tiles shattering and the wood caving in, they fell through into an abandoned bakery in a cloud of dust.

However, Hinata pulled herself up, her eyes alight with fury as she climbed onto Haiku's lap, straddling her, she punched, left, right, left again, each hit cracking her cousins face and spilling blood as she cried and whimpered. Her body is limp, and defenceless before Hinata took notice of the tears, her bloodline deactivating as she stopped panting for breath as she looked down to the crying bloody mess of her older cousin.

It took her a few moments of watching her filthy blood covered cousin sobbing before she realised tears were freely flowing from her eyes too. She reached out her aching arm and stroked her hand through her cousins' blood soaked hair trying not to openly sob; she moved down to lie on her cousin, snuggling into her, holding her.

"I'm so sorry, Haiku-nee-chan," she said shakily as she listened with her head pressed to her chest, her heartbeat was erratic and frightened her. "I've missed you so much… you were always so nice to me, and looked out for me… I love you Haiku-nee-chan, please don't leave me ever again!"

"H-Hinata-chan," she whispered out in reply and she felt the older girls arms shakily wrap around her. "I… I don't know w-what to say… I can't just stop hating you," she whimpered out. "I… I never tried to see it from your point of view, H-Hinata-chan. Y-you were always so kind and gentle. I'm not surprised t-that without your mother, your father would blame you for everything. He was always a cold-hearted dick!"

"I know," she replied softly. "I've had enough of him too, but… if anyone is going to kill him anytime soon it will be… me!"

"I guess… I've lost to you, Hinata-chan," she replied with a shaky sigh. "B-but I'm not sorry for what I've done, but I think you've killed me," she added shocking her little cousin.

Hinata looked up at her to see a bloody smile. "Please, do… do me a favour Hinata-chan… take my scythe and… and use it to help free our people!"

"No, Nee-chan, please, I need you!" Hinata begged as her cousins' eyes closed and she stopped breathing, tears were spilling from her eyes as she whimpered with her renewed loss, a loss she caused this time. "I promise, Haiku-nee-sama," she muttered after a few moments, giving her older cousin the respect she deserved.

However, on the rooftops Naruto was still fighting the vampire, spitting out fireballs that crushed, shattered and blew up the area causing Gaius to worry as he sensed the death bellow meaning one of the Hyuuga just died, and from what he just saw from the youngest, knows it's not her.

They danced and dodged around each other with punches and kicks, the vampire trying to flittered around the ninja, but Naruto sensed him every time. They hit with blows and strikes, and both just seemed to be healing with each new injury they inflict on each other.

"What the hell are you made of, kid!" the vampire hissed out as his healing-factor was slowing down through loss of blood while the blonde ninja's wasn't.

"It doesn't matter, bastard, I'm going to slay your undead ass!" he hissed out in reply, drawing a kunai in each hand he started trying to get in the vamps guard to stake his chest. Gaius could only try dodging more, but quickly knew he is losing ground on the young ninja.

Meanwhile, halfway across the village a wild looking woman stood on a rooftop with her large white dog. They were looking over in the direction where a good tenth of the town is on fire, and more fireballs are blazing out with explosions. She could only stare in horror, as she knew both Naruto and Hinata went in that direction.

However, she wasn't sure who was creating all of them fire attacks, but she does suspect that only Naruto could have such large chakra reserves that he could really throw out that much and have some to spare. Though, that could be hopeful thinking as Hinata and Naruto could be up against multiple fire users and in trouble.

She has come across hoards of zombies, but hasn't yet came across anyone magical, but looking to the tower in the distance knows she'll likely find her prey there. The bastards who murdered all of these people must pay and be held accountable.

"We've got to see about helping, Naruto and Hinata!" she said to her dog partner before they spun as they heard laughter.

She spun around to see a young woman with wild and mused short platinum blonde hair and fanged teeth, her blue eyes are animalistic and wild. Tsume was surprised to see her firm and strong looking body naked, with breasts at just a few hands each, and some soft looking blonde hair between her legs. Her skin is a little ash covered with a dark tan, which suggests she has been near the fires, and all things considered, she's quite pretty.

"Actually I'll be your opponent," she said giggling as she waggled her sharp nailed finger at her as if she's a child. "Anyway, I was just there, and let's say, the girl defeated her opponent already, and that tasty looking boy is kicking the ten barrels of shite out of that prick, Gaius, and destroying the town."

"Who are you?" she asked as she and her partner eyed her, the dog growling in anger.

She giggled some more and looked amused. "I guess it is only polite to offer my name. I am Gabrielle Sonar, but people call me Gabby for short, and its unfortunately my Mistress has ordered your capture because you look kind of tasty yourself… though, maybe I'll have a little fun with you before I hand you over."

Tsume growled as she glared. "Beat me, and I might just let you, but why the hell are you naked?"

"Saves ruining all of my cute clothes," she replied confusing her. "I'm a lykan… werewolf," she added on seeing Tsume's confusion. She had expected to see fear but not a look of excitement and curiosity.

"Wow, that's pretty cool," she couldn't help but say. "So you can turn into a huge monstrous wolf, huh?" she finished excitedly.

"Umm… well, yeah," Gabby replied sheepishly rubbing the back of her neck. "Wow, this has never happened to me before. I normally get a less than enthusiastic reaction, like screaming and begging me not to eat them… like most of them are worth eating, and I prefer cooked meat, and humans taste better without sinking your teeth into them, but then in my transformed state my instincts kick in and I might accidently eat someone."

"So, umm… how do I avoid becoming a werewolf?" Tsume asked as they prepared themselves for a fight.

"Just don't get bitten while I'm in my full form," she answered shrugging her shoulders. "OK then, dog lady, let's go at this!" she hissed out as her eyes burn silver like them moon while she growled fiercely, her eyes then shifting to a slanted yellow.

Tsume and her dog partner took some frightened steps back as they heard bones snapping and crunching as the girl's body burst and reformed, she was roaring out in absolute agony beyond anything Tsume had ever seen before. She burst with platinum white fur, tearing out of her flesh and skin, her mouth and nose reforming with huge drooling teeth. The creature grows up wolf like but standing on his hind legs like a human with huge clawed arms, and muscles to put muscles to shame.

Gabby in wolf form roared up into a howl, her yellow eyes full of rage. Tsume was both awed by the creature and rightfully freaked out, as she has to fight it without being bitten, because no matter how cool werewolves are, she doesn't want to be one, and the bite would probably hurt a lot.

She and her partner dodged to the right and left dodging the growling monster as it leaped them and crashed down where they stood. Tsume's partner was quick to take its chance as the huge white dog leapt forward, its teeth cutting into the werewolf's bicep; drawing blood only to wine in pain as huge claws sliced down its side and it was thrown crashing into unconsciousness as it hit a chimney.

"Shit, you'll pay for that, bitch!" Tsume cried out as she charged with a quick hand-seal she jumped forward spinning in a spiralling cutting tornado, her fingernails growing out like claws.

The snarled at her as it just took her whole attack, blood splaying but Tsume as caught to a stop, the monsters clawed hands slicing through flesh caused the woman to cry out in pain. However, she paused and stiffened as the wolf's muzzle was in her face, glaring at her and growling. This did not look good for her as she watched the wounds she and her dog partner had inflicted on her healing before her eyes.

However, in another part of town, Shino and Kurenai weren't fairing much better as they were fleeing loads and loads of very persistent zombies. They could have escaped to the rooftops if they hadn't foolishly ran out into a play field and gotten themselves surrounded.

Shino suddenly went down while Kurenai dodged a strike to her face. She only glanced at her student where he lay still before looking up to the aggressor. Kurenai's surprised to see a bored looking girl no older than her students. Her silky black hair tied back out of her eyes with a blue hair band, and hanging down to her butt, tied by her waist with a blue ribbon. She was wearing a short sleeve blue top over her small chest of blue silk cut high enough to show off her tone tummy, and baggy blue silk trousers with some blue flat shoes

However, it's her eyes that shocked the woman most, they looked like the sharingan, only it's an odd colour, a brilliant teal, her pupils are white with three white toma on each corner of her eyes. Kurenai could only stare at the girl in awe, unable to understand what's going on with the zombies, but this just blew her mind.

"Y-you're an Uchiha?" she couldn't help but blurt out in shock.

The 'Uchiha' just rolled her amazing eyes. "Well, let's give you a round of applause, my name was once Suki Uchiha, but my father didn't want me… ordered my death for being a little cry baby, and even ordered my own big brother to take me away and kill me, but as you can see he couldn't… he wouldn't. He left me with this elderly retired kunoichi in a small mountain village.

"She was once a member of that clan too," she hissed out venomously. "She had never activated the sharingan but when I activated this bastardized, mutated version she was so proud. I felt a little pissed that I couldn't steal peoples techniques, but she was so happy that I couldn't. She said it would mean I'll have an appreciation for hard work. It has some pretty neat tricks to it anyway, so I'm OK with that, I leant so much more this way.

"Though, my grandma passed away a year ago, and my Mistress found me, and offered me this job," she said sounding smug. "I hear my big brother actually went and slaughtered the clan since I last saw him. He had told me I would probably never see him again. I'm embarrassed to say I cried. He said that he had some big ass orders from someone or something, but I guess that doesn't matter, I'm here to capture you and bug boy.

"Though, it might have been fun testing my fire techniques out on that cute blonde boy's," she said looking over to where she could see smoke rising up from the distance looking melancholy. "But that douche Gaius won rock paper scissors, but it looks like he might have lost in the end, but that's not my problem."

"W-wait, you're Itachi Uchiha's younger sister?" Kurenai asked in shock while the girl grinned and rolled her eyes, which was odd, as she had NEVER seen an Uchiha smile let alone grin, and if she had, she knows it would have been sadistic, but Suki's smile is nice.

"Yep, I'm just eleven months younger than my whiny brother, Sasuke," she answered rolling her eyes. "Why father wanted rid of me, and kept him I'll never know, but maybe because I'm a girl."

Kurenai just nodded feeling sorry for the girl. "Yeah, the Uchiha clan has never been known as a clan of gentlemen."

Suki giggled with a sigh. "Yeah… can you tell me, what is Sasuke doing now? He was always such a whiny, self-centred jerkoff."

"Oh, well, he's still a self-centred jerkoff," she replied nervously. "He's kind of into the whole vengeance kick right now, and I don't think he'll stop until he's dead or Itachi is, but even if he kills Itachi, what will he have left? He'll just have a whole village of ninja who will despise him by then, and even the civilians will eventually see how much of an arrogant jerk he is, taking and never even thanking anyone."

"So now he's an arrogant dipshit too," he said laughing and shaking her head sadly. "There's a part of me that hoped he would have grown up and realised the world and existence doesn't revolve around him. If the dick gets in my way, I won't hesitate in killing him.

"I'm sorry to say that I have to capture you now, Sensei-san," she said with a smile. "I just wish I could have been a part of your village and had a nice sensei like you, and a happy life with my mother and brothers, and dad just died. Onii would have made a brilliant head of the clan. He may have been cool and aloft, but he was always very kind and caring."

"I guess this is where I find out about your sharingan?" Kurenai asked as she moved into her fighting stance.

"Or lose to it, right now," she replied with a sad smile. "I'm sorry, Sensei-san, my eyes allow me to do this," she said as tails of blue flame bust out of nowhere around Kurenai, grabbing her wrists and ankles like shackles.

However, the flames were cold; she could tell they would still burn by the way they feel, but they weren't burning her, just holding her in place, trapped. She struggled a little against the flames but they only tightened, near crushing her wrists and ankles.

"S-Suki… what the hell's going on?" she demanded while the girl just held out her right hand.

Suki looked at her in pity as she answered. "These are my flames… flames so cold they can burn anything to dust, but with my eyes, I can control whether they turn you to dust or just hold you, and maybe give you a little freezer burn.

"I told you, I really am sorry, Sensei-san. However, I have my orders to capture you!"

_**To Be Continued…**_


	14. Frostbite

_**Mythical Night**_

_**Chapter XIV**_

_**Frostbite**_

Ash drifted away with the screams as Naruto stood in among the flames as he had finally gotten his target. He felt a little bad for the man, but in the end, it was either him, or… him. Naruto had just chosen for it to be him, or more correctly put, the vampire went up in flames, horror on his face as it dissolved away, burring down to nothing but dust to the wind.

Naruto started as he felt a raindrop hit his nose and looked up as thunder exploded with streaks of lightning, the dark smoke-full sky full of rainclouds, the fire having made the fog clear up and leave the area.

The rain poured down, and he couldn't tell whether it's natural or not as it was heavy enough to soak him in seconds and start putting out the fires when he felt Hinata take his hand after she had climbed out of the shop she had fallen into with her cousin. The rain mixing with her tears, and she held a white bone-like scythe.

He looked to her with a sad expression. "Hinata-chan!" he called over the rushing sound of the storm. "Let's get out of here, and find some place to wait out the storm…!" he trailed off as the storm had cease in seconds to only be replaced with snow as a huge blizzard hit down showing that this really isn't a normal storm.

She nodded through the cold as he led her over the roofs before they jumped down as either the zombies are dead or having more trouble than they are in the blizzard, before he kicked the door open and they both rushed in, shivering as they closed the door closed.

"Damn, I am seriously not going to be nice to the mage when I get hold of her," Naruto said in annoyance. "Are you OK, Hinata-chan?"

"Y-yeah, just a little cold," she said, then startled when Naruto pulled her into his arms, smiling down at her, he kissed her forehead while the storm raged on outside. "I feel much warmer now," she said smiling as she snuggled into his arms.

"Yeah…" he said slowly as he looked around the shop. It contained all sorts of climbing equipment and cold weather gear, and why wouldn't there be shops like this when there's mountains and cliffs prime for adventurers and thrill seekers to climb hidden by the fog up passed the monastery.

"It looks like we can get some warmer gear, here," he said smirking as she pulled back with wide eyes as she realised what kind of store they're in.

She laughed and kissed his cheek as she pulled back to look around, trying to hide her limp from him, or how tired she is without much luck. He just rolled his eyes as he looked around with her, trying to not let her see how hurt he is, and not managing it either, but neither of them mentioned it.

They both ended up wearing long white coats with fluffy hoods and cuffs, and changing their boots for thermal white boots with fluffy cuffs. They wrapped themselves in white scarfs around their ears, noses and mouths, and thick white gloves, followed by some transition ski-glasses-goggles for added protection.

"Ready to head out into the world…?" Naruto asked as they pulled up their hoods.

She nodded her head. "Yeah, but why would she do this…?"

He growled in annoyance. "Probably because she wants to send out a winter-time monster after us, and can't do that without the snow. Though, I'll admit seeing snow for the first time is quite cool, but it's cool factor is taken away when we're being attacked by a bitch that now controls the weather."

They stepped out of the shop into a huge blizzard, barely able to see their hands in front of their eyes. They held hands as they walked, their new boots having the right kind of grip for the newly slippery grounds.

It was amazing that they walked passed some zombies as they quivered on the floor unable to attack them, and whether they're making any noise neither Hinata nor Naruto could tell over the roaring of the cold wind. However, it was nice not to have to flee the walking dead, as they're unable to move because of the cold.

Their coats flapped about as they trekked through the ever-thickening snow. Though, on the plus side neither had ever had the chance to try snow walking before now, and there's nothing like an evil threat to set you too it and make you an expert relatively fast.

It was hard going and felt like they might as well be on a frost-capped mountain rather than in the middle of what was once a beautiful summit town. The only thing that seemed to be keeping them on track is the light reflecting off the temple tower in the distance or they wouldn't have a clue how to get there, their senses dulled by the bad weather.

They both held on to each other tightly, not wanting to risk getting separated as they trudged on. Though, it was much easier going once they both started becoming confident in snow walking as the snow was now around twenty inches high and piling up so it wasn't just snow walking, it was making sure to tread up each tiny layer as it formed, which was tiring since their last fight.

The walk was getting a bit tedious when the ground shook beneath their feet, the snow parting and slipping. They both jumped away, skipping and sliding back on the snow as the blizzard just stopped in moments causing them a start almost as much as the giant white furry worm thing with monstrous snout full of razor like teeth, its beady little black eyes glaring down at them.

"A-at least the storms stopped," Hinata muttered, her voice muffled by her scarf. It's still very cold so they won't be unwrapping anytime soon, even with the sun now blaring down on them, the clouds cleared and the sky a beautiful blue. However, looking around, the fog still obscured around the outer reaches of the town.

"I… I think whoevers doing this is fucking with us," Naruto replied as they both jumped apart and to the sides and back as the worm went to chomp on them only getting snow. They looked around to see they're in a large clear area covered in snow.

They were more startled as some huge white furred muscle bound gorilla men soon surrounded them holding axes and swords, but for one creature holding a horn of some kind. They both prepared to fight them while dodging the worm monster.

"This is not a fun mission," Hinata said as she dodged a snow monkey, her new scythe taking its head before she moved again while its blood coloured the snow.

She ran, diving out of the worms tail strike with Naruto appearing with her moments later landing on the back of a persuading gorilla thing, a kunai through its skull before he flipped over, landing on his footed feet and continuing to run with Hinata. They dodged and weaved around the worm monster while they swiftly moved around gorilla monsters.

"Shit these monkeys are fast!" Naruto groaned as they left the park, straight back into town, while moving, fighting two off the gorillas, hand to hand. "And they're not bad fighters, either."

"I… I think they're yetis, not monkeys," she replied as her scythe stabbed forward into another one while dodging three more as they came at her. Meanwhile the giant worm is tearing up the town, smashing through buildings while chasing them, but at least it doesn't seem to care about the yeti as many of them are getting eaten.

They moved and split up, one going right, and the other left. The worm monsters chased after Naruto, which made the blonde thankful and concerned as he round-housed a yeti into the ground with a boom without losing momentum. He jumped forward, avoiding a tail-swipe before landing down, skidding on hands and feet in a bent back motion before flipping himself up to his feet and blasting off faster than before in a new direction.

He moved as fast as he could, dodging, weaving, and leapt out of the attacks. The monster-worms roars following him with it as the yeti kept leaping in to reach him. He kicked them away and tried to stab them, kunai flying and some exploding as they hit with exploding tags attached.

Naruto skidded left and right, dodging back and forward, running low on kunai he started holding one in each hand and weaving around and under yeti, slitting their throats where he can.

He knows what this witch is trying to do. She's trying to completely exhaust him and Hinata, either for the worms lunch or for capture. It seemed obvious their last opponents were ordered to capture them. He could only worry about the rest of the team, as he's certain if they were able they would have come to their aid when he started setting the town on fire. They might not have beaten their capturers.

He was panting deeply with exertion as he has had enough. He span around to face the giant monster worm, his glasses glowing with a red hue as he breathed in. he pulled down his scarf, and then he breathed out in seconds, a huge stream of red flames blazed out of his mouth. Yeti caught in the flames could only let out small screams before they were burnt husks.

The flames engulfed the monster worm and melted the snow around it. It roared its agony, and Naruto just channelled more demonic chakra, creating hotter flames. He watched through the heat as areas of the word popped like a spot, bubbling up and splashing out globs of blue blood before he quit his fire attack and fell to his knees, taking in deep breaths. The monster worm was down but still alive, green goo splitting out of its flesh as it flailed around in pain on the ground.

However, he moved, jumping back before shooting forward slicing through a yeti's chest with his final kunai, only leaving him with a few shuriken as he skipped up. He has some blood drooling from his lips as he shot forward and smashed his right hand and arm through the monster worms head, ending it before skipping back a few times as more yeti were surrounding him.

Meanwhile, Hinata had sighed in relief from where she dodged yeti as she saw the flames. So she knows Naruto id going to be OK… well she hopes he is. She at least has her new scythe while he might be running low on weapons, but still, she knows he has a backup supply of power to charge his chakra attacks.

She sliced through yeti after yeti for a few moments as they charged at her before they fell back, watching her with caution. She held her scythe in both hands in a low stance, her muscles all taught and ready to strike, her byakugan now active. The veins around her eyes are bulging and her eyes a silver sparkle.

Hinata hadn't noticed before when she fought against her cousin, but now, her eyes don't have any kind of blind spot, and the world around her has slowed down, taking everything in. She had heard rumours of this, but never had she believed that the byakugan had a second form, let alone that she could activate it.

She took a few steps back to give her enemy a sense that she might be scared or too weakened to fight, and they took the bait. She moved back as three came flying in at her and she dropped back and flipped backwards close to the ground, her scythe slicing one yeti in two down the middle while she swept up to her feet taking the head of another while her scythe switched its head up and stabbed the last.

She stood panting as blood and flesh hit the snow. She had never thought of the death and danger she could be in on real ninja missions before, but with Naruto on her side, she feels ready to accept real ninja life.

It was the waiting for them to strike again that was trying. She could strike first, but sometimes in life, it's sensible to wait. If she attacks she could come off worse, and she cannot lose when Naruto has shown such faith in her. She ignored any cold, her glasses sparkling through from her eyes.

They attacked, she moved, swishing around, screaming out as she swung her weapon, slicing and killing the monster gorillas. She moved, left, right, back, forwards, strike, slice, decapitation, and cut. Her movements like a dance of death and chaos, the screams of the yeti like her music, and she was making a lot of music.

She was soon nearing the end of them when the one almost got her, but it just fell to the ground dead as a shuriken sliced into its head from a near roof, and she took the lasts head with her scythe.

Looking up, Hinata was relieved to see Naruto looking down at her with his scarf pulled down around his neck and hood pulled back. She gave a weak smile as she pulled down her scarf and hood, her blood-line deactivating before she sealed her scythe away in a weapons scroll she had spare in her weapons pouch before jumping up to join him.

"N-Naruto-kun," she said breathlessly. "Y-you're OK, I'm glad, these things were all over me, and you had the worm thing too."

He chuckled as he took some calming breaths. "Sorry if I worried you, Hinata-chan," he replied smiling as he looked weak and breathless. "But I don't think we can just stay here and chat, though I would love too. I think we might have teammates to rescue."

Her eyes widened as she thought about it. "I… I didn't think Naruto-kun, but, they would have come to help us if they were able, after all you near burnt down a whole district, and then the giant worm thing," she said looking out to all of the destruction they've caused.

Naruto looked out too with a sheepish grin. "Yeah, I see what you mean there Hinata-chan," he said with a shrug. "I hope Yuki-chan isn't pissed that I broke her town."

Hinata sighed sadly and nodded her head. "A-at least we're still alive," she said while looking at him. He's covered in blood, his and others, and she's certain she looks no better, especially since they're both wearing white.

"Yeah, let's hope it stays that way," he answered as he looked out over, towards the tower, his eyes going colder than the snow. "Let's get this bitch and put an end to her before she has a chance to cause us anymore trouble."

"Sounds like a good idea to me," she answered breathing in some fresh air, hoping to gain some of her breath back. "I'm not ever a bad person, but for this witch, I'll make an exception."

Naruto smirked and grinned while chuckling. "I think I like badass, Hinata-chan,"

She couldn't help but blush brightly at his semi-compliment.

Meanwhile, back in Konoha, Hanabi Hyuuga had barely managed to slip away from her bodyguards. They just don't know how to give her some personal space except for when she's in her room. She had dressed up in black and covered her face with a scarf and wearing large black sunglasses to hide her noticeable eyes if someone sees her.

She couldn't stop thinking about the man in the green hood. He didn't ask for anything, yet he helps strangers. It contradicts everything her father has ever taught her. He doesn't even ask for any kind of thanks. It drove her crazy, and the other kids at the academy had started noticing that she's distracted, and she had had to reprimand herself for being nice to Moegi.

Now, there's rumour of another nutter running around with a crossbow capturing criminals, a woman this time. She just doesn't understand, and to confuse her more the Hokage doesn't seem to care, and her father finds amusement in how much these vigilantes are annoying the council… well mainly the civilian council.

When she had left her family compound, she had stolen an old wooden bow with a set of arrows from her families' armoury. They don't have anything modern as they tend not to use weapons other than kunai and shuriken so it's all old stuff, nothing less than fifty years old. However, she found it annoying that Arrow is so good at using a bow, showing his superior talent.

Hanabi had figured that if he can do it, why can't she? Well, that's why she snuck away and headed into the training grounds. She found a nice spot far from anyone and set up a makeshift target, but no matter what she did, she couldn't even hit it. It was by early evening she was sat on her butt panting for breath, her fingers cut up and bloody and all her arrows in a tree, only two in her target, but nowhere near the bull's-eye.

She was startled a short moment later as she heard some drunken rowdiness. She quickly got to her feet and rushed behind a tree hoping whoever it is doesn't think much of the arrows in the trees and ground.

It was with utmost care that she poked her head around her hiding tree. Her eyes widened in shock as she readjusted her glasses and scarf to hide her face. She watched several Konoha ninja were dragging a barely conscious kunoichi by her short blonde hair. Looking up to her forehead Hanabi saw a Suna headband.

The blonde has her hair up in four tails to the back, and her armoured robes are a little torn up. Hanabi had never felt more desperate for someone else to intervene in anything before now as she looked at the beaten up and bloodied girl. She looked only a year or two older than her own big sister is.

She knew what these weakling ninja were going to do and it disgusts her. She also knows that this girl could be a part of the chunin exams, which could mean these morons, could start an international incident that could start a war.

Hanabi didn't want war, but more importantly she didn't want this girl to suffer these ugly men attacking her like this. This is the type of thing Arrow stops, the sort of thing Arrow hates, because even if they do start a war, will this girl ever get her justice?

She looked to her feet to see one of her arrows had gone astray and was in the ground by her feet. She pulled it out without any thought and cocked it in her bow, pulling it taught she stepped around her hiding place, aiming at one of the men before he ripped the girls top off. The blonde girl looked at her weakly, shock evident.

"Let her go!" she cried out breathlessly, which stopped them and caused them to turn to her in surprise.

"Well, what do we have here?" the so-called ringleader of the group asked rhetorically. "It looks like this little Bit is offering herself up to join this Sand-Whore…" he trailed to a stop, shocked as she had let the arrow go and it had sliced into his chest, dead centre. He could only show his horror as he fell down, dead.

"Why you filthy little BITCH!" another of the men yelled in rage before a small arrow sliced into his throat before exploding and spaying his friends with his flesh and blood as the young woman in purple wearing a mask stood in a tree, her crossbows aimed and ready.

"Back down, filth," she hissed out, near growling. "For the crime of High Treason, I sentence you all to death!"

"S-shit, that fucking, Arrow guy has a g-girlfriend!" one of the men cried out as they blinked and she had disappeared. He didn't have the chance to run away as he dropped to the ground, face first with three arrows in his back with a boom the three remaining men were blast off their feet letting go of the Suna-nin.

She groaned as she pulled herself up to her hands and knees panting for breath. She looked around and watched in awe as the masked woman in purple was behind her, the three men were groaning dizzily as they tried pulling themselves up before the woman in purple shot each one, an arrow in each of their heads without mercy, she had sentenced them, and carried out her promise.

The woman then just walked passed the Suna-nin and to the small girl hidden by black and grabbed her left arm. "You should be more careful, and less quick to act… you need to be more watchful," she said with a small smirk aimed at Hanabi.

She then looked to the Suna-nin while holding Hanabi's arm tighter, and made the girl feel like she is in some serious trouble. "Are you capable of travelling back into town, alone?"

"Y-yeah," the Suna-kunoichi nodded her agreement. "I didn't think Konoha was such a cesspool."

"You have no idea," she replied laughing. "Go back to your hotel, and I'll suggest just keeping this to yourself. The council isn't known for giving a shit unless it costs them money."

"Isn't it the same everywhere?" she replied as she pulled herself to her feet. "I-I'm Temari. Who are you anyway…?"

"I'm the Huntress!"

Then with that, Huntress blast away with the small girl in a blaze of leaves, leaving Temari alone, and still aching from that sneak attack by this filth. She just kicks a body in her hate before jumping through the trees, heading back to town.

She had never imagined that… that Konoha was no better than her village. The way her village treats her younger brother, and… well just people in general is the same way those men treated her.

Stopping at the edge of the village, she looked out over it in thought. She owes Huntress her 'innocents' so maybe… she could perhaps give a few clues to a certain conspiracy. She didn't want anything to do with it anyway.

_**To Be Continued… **_


End file.
